Stranger
by pcworth
Summary: Emma meets a stranger in a bar while out with Ruby.
1. Chapter 1

Note: I do not own OUAT or its characters

Emma was in need of blowing off some steam so when Ruby suggested that they go out, even if it was to the Rabbit Hole, she thought it sounded like a great idea. With the second casting of the curse, by her mother no less, the town had gotten an influx of new faces. They were people somewhat ill-prepared to live in this world. She had given out more traffic citations in a week than she had in all her previous time as sheriff. It seemed like a day hadn't gone by that she wasn't getting called by the dispatchers to respond to something early in the morning or the dead of night.

What she needed was more officers, a request that Regina said she would bring up at the next council meeting.

If she hadn't needed to unwind so badly she would be home in bed.

Ruby was having her normal fun being the center of attention. After the song she was dancing to ended she came back to the table she and Emma were sitting at. "You have to dance at least once tonight," Ruby said taking a drink of her beer.

"You know that isn't going to happen."

"But you are supposed to be having fun."

"I should be home getting some sleep."

"No, no, no. You said you would go out with me so I have you for the evening. Unless of course you get a better offer."

"Then it looks like I am yours for the evening."

"Then go get me another beer," Ruby said downing hers.

Emma just smiled at her friend and made her way to the bar; she ordered two tall drafts and waited. She was standing next to a guy, who looked like he belonged in dive bar full-time who was talking to a woman, although Emma hadn't gotten a good look at her because the man was rather tall and wide.

"I said I am not interested," the woman said.

"I think I can get you to change your mind."

"I highly doubt that."

"Why don't you come back to my table and give me a chance?"

"I would rather sit at a table with an ogre, although if you keep up whatever non-diet you are on, you will surely end up the size of an ogre. Still, I am not interested. Move on."

"Hey did you call me an ogre? I think you owe me drink for that."

Emma's drinks came and she handed over the money. She considered going back to the table – tonight was not a night to be sheriff, but she also couldn't let this continue.

"Hey," she said reaching to tap his shoulder. He turned to her. "The lady said move on, now move on."

"This ain't none of your business," he said.

"No, it's not, but if you keep harassing her I am going to make it my official business," she said pulling her badge out of her pocket just in case the idiot was unaware of who she was.

He grumbled something and walked off.

Emma could now see the woman – and she could see why the guy was hitting on her.

"Thank you sheriff," the woman said. She was almost Emma's height with shortly, cropped blonde hair. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt which showed off her figure very well. She had a tattoo on her forearm just over her wrist of an eagle. Her eyes were as close to grey as Emma had ever seen eyes be.

"You're um welcome," she said. "Although you probably didn't need my assistance."

"Probably not but it was welcome anyway," she smiled.

"You are supposed to come back with the beer," Ruby said approaching them. She grabbed her beer off the bar and then seemed to notice the woman Emma was talking to.

"Hi, I am Ruby," she nodded.

"Sara,"

"I take it you are new around here," Ruby asked.

"I am still trying to get my bearings," she replied.

"I am one of the main cheerleaders for being here – curse and all. Once you get used to things like cell phones and TV, you aren't going to be missing home that much," Ruby said. "This is Emma, although I guess you met."

"Sort of," Sara said. "She chased off a nuisance for me."

"Yeah, some of the guys in this town you have to be careful of," Ruby said. "Others will just steal your heart away."

Sara smiled, "the guys, they aren't really my type."

"Oh," Ruby said. "Well if that is the case, you should be careful of the women too. We can be real pains in the asses. For instance, I sent Emma here to get us beer and she couldn't even accomplish that."

"You two are together then?"

"No," Emma said a little more forcibly than she meant to. "I mean there would be nothing wrong with it; you know if you are into that, I mean she and I we aren't like dating or anything we …."

"What my non-better half means to say is Emma and I are friends," Ruby said putting her arm around Emma's shoulder.

"But not like friends with benefits," Emma said quickly.

"I got that," Sara said taking a sip of her drink.

The music changed and Ruby gave a primal yell before putting her beer down and heading to the dance floor.

"I didn't mean anything negative by any of that," Emma said feeling like an idiot.

"You didn't hurt my feelings," Sara said. "Why don't you sit? If nothing else it will keep me from being hit on."

They sat there talking and Emma told her more about Storybrooke, and some about her own life. She learned that Sara had grown up on a farm where her father bred horses back in Fairy Tale land until he passed away. She had gotten a job caring for horses at the stables here in Storybrooke.

Emma enjoyed talking to her that she lost track of time until a now drunk Ruby came up to her. "I should get her home," Emma said.

"It appears so."

"Well, it was really great to meet you Sara,"

"Likewise."

"Maybe we will um run into each other again."

"I hope so," Sara smiled and she leaned over and kissed Emma. The kiss caught her off guard and she barely got to kiss back before Sara was backing away. "Good night Emma."

Sara got up and headed toward the restroom while Emma sat there. "You have the stupidest grin on your face," Ruby said. "Stupid, but cute. Aren't you glad you came out tonight?"

"She's beautiful."

"Later. I need bed now."

…

Sara entered her home through the backdoor. She was careful to make sure no one saw her or followed there. She went up to her bedroom and into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw she was still smiling. Kissing Emma Swan was not on her to-do list for the evening, but it was the most satisfying part of her evening.  
Her smile had everything to do with Emma.

Then she started to get sad, knowing she could never see her again – at least not like that.

She waved her hand and the faux persona disappeared.

Regina looked at herself in the mirror for only a moment more before returning to her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Regina was reviewing some paperwork when her secretary buzzed in on the intercom.  
"Sheriff Swan to see you."  
Regina hesitated. It had been three days since she had seen Emma at the Rabbit Hole. Although there was no way for Emma to know it was her in the guise of Sara she was nervous. She took a deep breath.  
"Send her in."  
Emma came in her normal brazen way, striding up to her desk. "I need those additional officers," she said putting her hands flat down on the edge of the desk.  
"I told you sheriff that is up to the city council. I can only suggest it."  
Emma huffed and took a seat. "I've been to enough of these council meetings to know it takes three readings of the legislation to approve the funding of additional officers. Council meets twice a month so I am looking at 6 weeks there and at least another two weeks to hire and then training after that. Do you know what I called out to this morning at 4:40 a.m.? Vandalism at the elementary school."  
"I heard."  
"With the influx of all of these people crime is going up."  
"I understand ..."  
"I don't think you do."  
"Sheriff Swan, you are right it takes three readings of the legislation. Unless of course it is declared an emergency ordinance," she said picking a piece of paper up off the desk and handing it to her. "As you can see I have had the emergency ordinance drawn up. And you will note it will fund you four additional officers not the three you asked for. Now if council passes it at the Monday meeting I will sign it immediately and you can start your hiring process."  
Emma examined the document, biting her bottom lip a little as she concentrated. Regina couldn't help but stare at those lips.  
"Wow. Thanks," Emma said. "This is actually really great."  
"Don't sound so shocked. I do care about the safety of the town and its citizens."  
"I didn't mean ..."  
"it is not a slam dunk as I believe you would say and there are those on council who are staunchly opposed to major expenditures, especially if they aren't going to get their three readings to grandstand during the discussion of it," Regina said. "You need to get at least one of them and possibly two to see it is a reasonable request. I suggest you come to the meeting prepared to state your case which means having crime rate numbers to show how they have increased, and things like the overtime the department is incurring because of them."  
"Crime stats, overtime, I can do that," she said.  
"This isn't just a public safety issue it is a budgetary issue and that is how many will see it, so you need to show them it is worth it. That is why I asked for four officers because if the opposition isn't going to fund four, they may be willing to fund three so we can always amend the ordinance and you still get what you want."  
"You really thought this through. I mean of course you did, but I mean you didn't have to. So um yeah thanks I guess."  
"Thank me after you get the approval," she said. "Now is there anything else, I need to get back to other matters."  
"No," Emma said standing and handing her back the paper. She got about part way to the door and then turned. "Actually there is something else."  
"Yes Miss Swan," she said trying to sound annoyed. Actually she was annoyed as she had been admiring the view of Emma walking away.  
"I had a question about the Storybrooke Stables."  
Regina knew this couldn't be good.  
"I understand that they are a non-profit set up to provide the chance for young people to learn to ride horses."  
"Thinking of taking some lessons?  
"No. I ... well someone told me you are like the sole benefactor to it; that you fund it."  
"Technically an endowment funds it, but yes that endowment is funded primarily by money I used to start it. They also take donations and have a fundraiser equestrian show."  
"Do you um you know like handling the hiring of the personnel that work there? I um have a friend who is maybe looking for a job."  
"A friend?"  
"Yes."  
"I fund the work they do out there," Regina said looking down at the desk. "But it is not some place I go to."  
Shit Emma thought, she should have realized the stables would be a sore point with Regina after Daniel.  
"You should inquire with the stable manager," Regina continued. "He would know if they have any openings for your friend."  
"Ok. Thanks," Emma said, leaving.  
Shit, Regina thought, Emma had to be asking because Sara had said she worked there. This can't be good.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma waited another couple of days before she worked up the courage to actually go to the stables. She had only been out to them once when she was first learning her way around town. She purposely waited until later in the day. It was her understanding from asking questions around town that while the stables were open at 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. most of the lessons during the school year took place later in the day.

She parked her car and then had to work up the courage to actually get out of it. It was just after 6 p.m. and she couldn't really see much from her car so she cursed her own stupidity and got out. She walked over to a fence line where she saw horses in several rings. One looked to be one for beginners as the horse was smaller as was the child. A handler was leading the horse around the ring. Another bigger ring was being used by someone who was barrel racing.

She didn't see Sara anywhere.

Emma walked into the actual stable – it was a larger building than she realized and she wondered how many horses were stabled there. The main office was just past the entry way and she went into it. She had never met the stable manager that she knew of, but his name was Silas Mann, according to the people she had spoken to.

He was an older man than she had expected – his hair entirely grey. But she could tell in his youth he was probably good looking and he still had good musculature.

"Sheriff, what brings you out here?" he said when she entered.

"Not much, I was just on patrol and realized I hardly ever come out this way so I thought I would stop."

"I would be more than happy to give you a quick tour if you would like."

"That would be nice of you."

She was only half paying attention to what he had to say as they walked around. She kept looking around for Sara. She was beginning to feel really stupid about the whole thing. She was sheriff, and a former bail bondsman, she should be able to find one woman in a town that wasn't exactly huge.

She had debated if she should even try to look for her, but Ruby – once she had sobered up the next day – had pretty much insisted on it. She had to admit, she had enjoyed the short amount of time she and Sara had spent together. She felt no pressure around the other woman, just an easy flow of conversation after she stopped stumbling over every other word.

They were headed back to the stable – the tour over and so was her pathetic attempt at running into Sara – when she saw the other woman coming out of one of the stalls. Sara was guiding a wheelbarrow out of it, from the looks of it she had finished mucking out the stall. She was dressed in a pair of jeans, boots and a dark blue T-shirt. She pulled a blue bandanna out of her back pocket and wiped down her neck to gather up some of the sweat from her work. It was then that she noticed Emma.

"Emma," she smiled.

"Hey," Emma said, feeling like an idiot already for not having something better to say.

"You've met one of our newest employees I see," Silas said.

"Only recently," Sara said. "The stall is clean, whoever cleared it before didn't do a very good job of it. There was a small layer of moldy hay at the bottom, which would probably explain Starfire's colic."

"Sara is quite the horse expert," Silas said. "In the short time she has been here she has put some of the others to shame."

"I don't know about that," Sara said, and Emma noticed she blushed a little bit at the compliment.

"Well sheriff, I need to get back to it," Silas said. "If you ever need anything – like a mounted sheriff patrol, let me know."

"I will," Emma said. "Thanks for the tour."

Silas walked off, leaving her with Sara.

"A tour of the stables for the sheriff," Sara said. "It must be a slow day in law enforcement."

"I am actually off shift."

"Is that so," Sara said. "Unfortunately, I am not."

She picked up the ends of the wheelbarrow and started to walk out of the stables and Emma followed her. They ended up at a pile of rather smelly horse dung for Sara to dispose of the contents of the wheelbarrow.

"Not exactly pretty work," Sara said.

"But it is honest work."

Sara didn't respond.

"So um I was kind of hoping I would run into you by coming out here," Emma said, now completely aware that she had crossed the line of a purely random run in. "I … I enjoyed talking with you the other night. It was nice."

"I enjoyed talking with you too."

"Good. I was wondering if you maybe you would like to get together sometime and you know do that again."

"You mean talk?"

"Yeah, talk."

"I am free on Saturday evening."

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow is good for me."

"What's your number?" Sara asked pulling a cell from her back pocket.

"555-4534."

Sara dialed in the number and called Emma's phone, hanging up immediately.

"There you have my number now. Text me and let me know when and where," Sara said. "Now I really need to get back to work."

"Yeah," Emma said backing away with a smile. "I will see you Saturday."

…

Regina got home that night feeling exhausted. She went upstairs, removed the spell that made her appear as Sara before stripping down and getting into the shower. She needed to wash the smell from the stables off of her body.

After Emma had come to see her at the office, she had immediately called Silas to get him to hire "Sara." She vouched for Sara's skills and told him to make her part-time (evenings only and some weekends – after all she was still mayor and still had shared custody of Henry). Silas owed his livelihood to Regina's funding of the stables so he readily agreed to whatever Regina wanted when it came to Sara.

She then had to get a new cell phone for Sara. She used her magic to mask her Mercedes into a more suitable car for Sara as well.

The next day she had showed up there as Sara and gotten to work. At first she felt weird about being there, and had almost cried at one point when the memories of Daniel surfaced. Then she buckled down and got to work – forgetting how physical stable work could be. The horses though, she loved the horses and loved being near them again.

Her thought was she would be Sara there for a week and if Emma never showed up then she could quit the job and quit being Sara.

Being Sara was never supposed to be like this. She hadn't meant to use the persona that way.

But when Emma showed up at the stables, she felt happy. She found this not-so confident side of Emma to be endearing.

Now Sara and Emma were getting together, and while Regina knew it was probably not a good idea in the long run, she couldn't wait until the next day.


	4. Chapter 4

Note: I do not own OUAT or its characters

Note 2: When I started this story I didn't really know what I was doing with it or if it would be a one-shot. But what can I say, readers send me compliments and I am easily swayed to keep writing.

* * *

Emma had offered to pick Sara up at her place, but the other woman had told her she would meet her. They were just having dinner at Granny's – unoriginal she knew, but she didn't want to go to a bar or anywhere that was crowded or noisy. This was her weekend to have Henry but he wanted to spend the night with a friend, so she allowed it.

She was dressed fairly casually mostly because she wasn't really sure what she was doing. When she had suggested they get together, she hadn't said the word date. Even though Sara liked women, Emma didn't want to assume that Sara thought this was a date. When they had spoken the first time they hadn't talked about their sexualities beyond Sara stating her preference.

Another reason she had chosen Granny's was because Ruby was working and she hoped Ruby might be able to observe and help her figure out if Sara indeed liked Emma in a more than friends kind of way. Ruby was one of the few people in two who knew Emma was bisexual. Her parents knew as well, as did Hook. She wasn't ashamed of it, but she also didn't feel any need to inform people. Ruby had figured it out on her own – much to Emma's embarrassment it was because Ruby had caught her checking out Regina more than a couple of times.

Hook, well she had slept with him, and she always believed in being honest with her sexual partners. That was a relationship that went no where, which is part of why she found Sara so intriguing – it had been a while since she was simply able to enjoy herself in another person's company.

She was already at Granny's, in the last booth for a little privacy when Sara came in. Emma stood so the other woman would see her. Sara smiled and walked over. Emma was glad to see that she too was dressed casually.

"Hi," Emma smiled.

"Hi."

They each took a seat and Ruby came over to get drink order from Sara, who ordered ice tea.

"Did you have to work today?" Emma asked.

"I did for a few hours this morning," she said. "Starfire, she's the horse whose stall I was cleaning the other day. She's been sick, and the vet came out this morning so I was there just to sort of keep her calm while he examined her. It's nothing serious and she should be ok in a week or so."

"That's good. Are you enjoying working there?"

Emma studied Sara as she seemed to consider how to answer the question. She had a thoughtful look on her face, but Emma also detected a hint of sadness.

"I am," Sara said finally. "It's different from back home, but I don't know, the sounds, the smell of stable they don't really change from place to place. There was a time when I sure I would never set foot in a stable again, but I have and I like that it feels familiar."

Emma didn't press on why she thought she wouldn't ever step foot in a stable again, sensing that it was maybe too personal of a question.

"By the way was the tour of the stables the other day?"

"I think we both know the only reason I was there was to track you down," Emma said, feeling a little more confident.

"You succeeded. Excellent detective work."

"The stables were the only thing I had to go on, but I've found people with less. I used to be a bail bondsman. When people jumped bail I would find them and return them."

"Did you enjoy that kind of work?"

"It wasn't bad. I mean you had to deal with some of the worst of humanity sometimes but that made it all the more satisfying when you caught them. There was this one case …"

They continued to sit there and talk, Emma telling some of her more amusing tales of from working as a bondsman. Sara would listen intently and never seemed bored as she would ask questions, or laugh – especially at the story where Emma had posed as a hooker to catch a guy. When she laughed Emma thought it sounded innocent – almost like a child and it made her smile.

At one point Emma glanced over at Ruby who gave her a thumbs up.

As Granny's was getting ready to close for the evening Emma walked Sara out to her car.

"I had a great time," Sara said as she stood next to her door.

"I did too," Emma said. "Would you like to do it again, say Wednesday night?"

"I can't on Wednesday," Sara said.

"Oh, you have to work?"

"Yeah," she said looking away. The real reason was she had promised Henry she would take him to see a movie that night. "Um … maybe we could do lunch though on Wednesday?"

"Sure," Emma said. "Lunch would be great."

Sara opened her car door and then turned to Emma again. She had her hand resting on the top of the car door and Emma could see her tattoo.

"I meant to ask you the other night, is there a significance to the tattoo?"

Sara looked at it, as if she had forgotten it was there. "Yes," she said. "But I don't think I am going to tell you. Not yet at least."

Emma looked at her questioningly.

"When you decide if you want to get together and talk, or if you want to ask me out on a date then I might tell you," Sara said and she leaned in and gave Emma a kiss on the cheek. "Something for you to think about."

Sara got into her car and drove off and Emma just stood there.

"You like her," Ruby said coming up behind her.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Completely," Ruby said.

…

Regina knocked on the office door before entering.

"Good afternoon," Archie said.

Regina took a seat on the couch.

"How have things gone since our last session?" he asked. "Did you do what we discussed?"

"I did," she said, before standing and walking to the window, looking out at it.

"I take it didn't go well."

"No, it went well, great actually. I took your advice, and I went out under a magical disguise to see what life might be like if I could just be me without people seeing me as Regina, the Evil Queen. And it was great," she said. "But I may have taken it too far."

"How so?"

"I met someone. Technically, I have met them before, but you know under this other persona I met them. Now I … I don't know what to do."


	5. Chapter 5

"Regina, sit down, take a calming breath and explain to me what happened," Archie said.

Regina didn't want to sit and she certainly didn't want to take a calming breath, but she did both. "I used my magic to mask my identity. It was a complete transformation. No one would know it was me and I changed my voice. At first I went to like the grocery store and the post office, sort of like a test drive. Then a week from Saturday I decided to go out, out. I went to the Rabbit Hole. At first I admit I was kind of bored. I mean I didn't know what to do so I sat at the bar and ordered a drink. Some guy came over and hit on me…"

She continued to tell him about Emma that night and how Emma had come to her office to see Regina clearly asking about the stables because of the Sara persona, and how she arranged for Sara to work at the stables where Emma tracked her down. She told him everything including how she kissed Emma on the cheek.

"Wow, um … not exactly what I had in mind when I suggested this,"

"I know," Regina said looking at the floor. She knew she had messed up, but she didn't know what to do now.

"Do you believe that Emma likes you in a more than friend manner?"

"I think she likes Sara that way yes."

"You are Sara."

"But I am not, not really."

"The point of this exercise was for you to be able to be you without the pressures of your past. Emma may be a perfect example of this. Without your past you are able to talk freely with her, enjoy each other's company."

"You can't mean that you condone what I have done."

"I am not here to judge you, I have told you that. Do I think what you did was wise, no, but it's not the end of the world. You do need to come clean with Emma though."

"She'll hate me."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do," she sighed. "I just … I really liked spending time with her, and I like being Sara. She doesn't have all this baggage. She isn't hated. She is allowed to be herself."

"Sara can't become a crutch. You may be her, but Sara isn't mayor. She doesn't have the same responsibilities, she doesn't have a son. What you need to do is embrace the parts of Sara that you like and allow them to be in you Regina."

"I don't know that I can do that."

"Alright, let's back up a moment. This magic that you used to transform yourself, could you have used it to make yourself appear as anything or anyone?"

"Yes."

"Is it merely an illusion, or could you actually change your features?"

"It's only illusion, but yes, technically if I wanted to go to the trouble I could actually change my features. An illusion is much easier though so there is no need for anything more intrusive."

"Hypothetically, could you use your magic to turn yourself into a man? Not the illusion of a man, but a man?"

"Yes, I suppose. It would be complicated magic and it wouldn't last but yes."

"Then let me ask you this, if you wanted to have sex with a woman why not make yourself into a man?"

Regina was startled by the question and disgusted by the thought. "It doesn't work that way," Regina said. "I don't want to be a man to have sex with a woman. I am not a man. I am a woman. And I didn't do this to have a one-night stand with some woman either."

"No but part of the reason you did was to be able to explore your own sexuality, something we have discussed."

Regina bit her lip. She was still uncomfortable with discussing her sexuality with anyone, much less Archie. "I may be free to sleep with women as Sara, but it doesn't mean I intend to."

"You are free to sleep with women as Regina, you choose not to. If you want to be happy Regina, you are going to have to learn to be who you are, not who you think you should be, not who people like your mother wanted you to be, and not who people perceive you to be. It's going to mean being honest with yourself, and you can't do that as Sara as great as it may feel to be her. You know it can't last."

"I know," she said.

"Have you considered the possibility of trying to have a normal, relaxed conversation with Emma as Regina?"

"No," she said.

"But if spending time with her makes you happy as Sara, then it stands to believe that would make you happy as Regina, does it not?"

Her head was starting to hurt thinking about all of this. "Maybe. But how do I get Emma to see I can just be someone to talk to?"

"Try being yourself."

She sighed.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina sat at her designated spot at the council meeting listening to Emma give her report on the up tick in crime and how additional resources would not only help, but also keep department overtime down. She had to admit Emma was doing a pretty good job of stating her case. She seemed nervous when she first started talking but now it was going better.

She tried not to stare at the sheriff. Tried not to think about sitting and talking with on Saturday night or placing that kiss on her cheek. She tried, but was failing.

Finally, she tore her eyes from Emma. This was her fault entirely; there was no debate about that.

Of all the people to see at the bar when she went out as Sara, it had to be Emma Swan. She couldn't deny that her attraction to the blonde was immediate. While Henry's birth mother showing up had set off warning bells in her head, she couldn't help but also give her a few appraising looks. The woman was simply all together sexy.

But she was also aggravating as all get out.

Emma had broken her curse. Emma had essentially stolen her son from her. Emma even managed to wreck the one relationship she tried to have since Daniel by bringing Robin's wife back.

Yet, Regina had to admit that beyond Henry, the curse hadn't really made her happy. Henry was really want mattered and both she and Emma realized that which is why they now had an amicable custody arrangement that allowed them to share the parenting responsibilities. And at the this point, even Tink was willing to admit that something – whether it was Emma going back in time or Regina initially rejecting the idea of soul mate Robin – was amiss with the whole fairy dust pair up.

Things had settled down between her and Emma.

But that didn't mean that Regina would ever dare to do with Emma what she had done as Sara. There was no way she as Regina could just be like with Emma.

As Sara though, she could be that way. She could be relaxed and talk about things she enjoyed without the pressure of being Regina Mills.

"Madame Mayor?"

Regina awoke from her musings, realizing someone was addressing her. It was the council president. She vaguely recalled him asking her, her opinion on the ordinance.

"The sheriff makes very valid points," Regina said. "Frankly we can't afford to do nothing because the problem isn't going to go away and it's not going to get better. I urge you all to consider that and give the ordinance a passing vote so Em … Sheriff Swan can begin the process of hiring new officers and getting them out on the streets."

…

While Emma almost laughed when Regina was clearly caught daydreaming, she was grateful when the mayor addressed council on her behalf. She couldn't believe Regina had almost called her Emma as well. That was one thing she wouldn't mind seeing in the official council minutes. Or even in a headline in tomorrow's paper, "Mayor finally called sheriff, Emma."

All joking aside she was pleased when the council gave her a unanimous vote to add all four officers. She waited around a bit until Regina was done talking with other members of council after the meeting ended. She caught up to her at the door and walked with her toward the parking lot.

"I just wanted to say thank you for all your help," Emma said. "I am not sure that would have gone as smoothly if you hadn't had helped me out like you did."

"Somehow I believe you would have been just fine on your own, but you are welcome all the same. How long do you think it will be before you can hire the officers?'

"I don't know. I have a couple of people in mind who might work out, but I need to get the job description posted at the station, city hall and in the newspaper as well. I hope it won't be too long of a process. If nothing else I could use the sleep."

They reached Regina's car, and Regina couldn't help but be struck by the parallel of when Emma walked Sara to her car the other night.

"Henry tells me you are taking him to the movies on Wednesday night," Emma said.

"Yes," Regina said giving a small smile. "I have to admit that I wasn't real sure about some of is movie selections, but so far they've actually been pretty good. It's been nice to have something he and I can share together because video games are clearly not it for me."

"Oh, they aren't so bad once you get used to them." Emma said. "I mean the kid kicks my ass at them for the most part but I have a few respectable showings."

"Respectable? He told me about your respectability with one of them. A fifth level wizard, really? You actually have your own magic which is I am sure is higher than fifth level."

"Hey I will have you know that I am at level six now."

"Truly powerful I am sure," Regina smiled.

"Watch it. I will get Henry to make you play and then we will see how far you get," Emma said returning the smile.

"We'll see," Regina said.

"Well, I should let you get moving. Thanks again."

"You're welcome again."

…..

After exchanging a few text messages, Sara ended up bringing lunch over to the station for her and Emma to eat. Neither woman wanted to go to Granny's again, but couldn't quite agree on some place else so Sara offered to make up lunches and bring them to the station. There weren't a lot of places to eat and Emma didn't want to use the break room so she ended up taking Sara into one of the interrogation rooms, after introducing her to her father who was also on duty.

Emma thought she caught a slight hesitation on Sara's part when she introduced her to David, but she chalked it up to Sara just being caught off guard. She couldn't remember if she had mentioned to Sara that her dad worked with her at the sheriff's office.

"I certainly hope you didn't bring me in here to grill me," Sara smiled.

"Maybe some other day. Today let's just have lunch."

Sara insisted on serving Emma since she had made the food. It was shredded chicken sandwiches, along with pasta salad and some watermelon. Emma bit into the sandwich first.

"Damn this is good. Did you make it yourself?" Emma said taking another bite.

"I did."

"You did a wonderful job."

"Thank you. I enjoy cooking. I don't get to do it as often as I would like."

She actually didn't. When Henry was growing up, she cooked for the two of them all the time. They didn't eat out very often. But with her now sharing custody of Henry with Emma, the amount of time she spent cooking had decreased. It was why she had suggested that she bring them lunch. The fact that Emma enjoyed it made her feel even better about the idea.

As she watched Emma eat though, she couldn't help but feel bad. She had told herself after meeting with Archie that she would merely distance Sara from Emma. It would be the easiest way to handle it, she reasoned. Yet here she was sharing another meal with her.

"I heard you were given city council approval to hire more officers, congratulations."

"Thanks. I certainly rested easier on Monday night after that was over. Really the credit goes to Regina though. She was the one who created the ordinance, asked for more than what I had originally intended and told me what I needed to be prepared with as far as talking to city council."

"That was nice of her."

"Yes it was," Emma smiled thinking for a moment how good it felt to work on something with Regina that didn't just involve Henry. The woman really had changed, even if some people in town didn't see it. "So do you have a lot of work to do at work tonight?"

"Oh, you know work around a stable never really ends," Sara said giving non-specific answer since she wasn't in fact working tonight.

"Kind of like law enforcement," Emma said.

"Yes, kind of like that."

They ate the rest of their meal while talking. Emma dominated the conversation, speaking a lot about Henry which seemed to make Sara brighten up even more.

"Do you like kids?' Emma said.

"Yes," Sara said. "That's one of the great things about the stables. There are kids in there all the time learning to ride. The little ones are cute because their faces light up the first time they get to sit on top of a pony. For some of them, they will take that first ride and they will just know that this is where they should be. They make a connection with a horse from the very beginning and that horse becomes like a friend to them, and sometimes the stables will be a refuge for them from the stresses of life as they grow older."

Emma thought Sara looked a little sad at that last part, and not for the first time she wished she knew more about her. Sara usually skirted around specific questions about her past though. It was clear in talking to her that she loved her father and loved horses, but Emma wondered why she never mentioned a mother.

"Well I should get going and you should get back to work."

"Here I will walk you out," Emma said and she escorted her to her car. She felt an odd sense of déjà vu, not from walking to her car on Saturday night, but instead she thought about walking Regina to her car on Wednesday night.

"Thanks for lunch."

"You're welcome."

Again déjà vu.

"Um, so about the other night," Emma said. "When you said I should decide if I just wanted to get together with you for talking or if I wanted to ask you out on a date, well I would like to ask you out on a date."

"You would?"

"Don't act so surprised. Why wouldn't I want to ask you out on a date?"

Sara, rather Regina, stopped breathing a moment. She knew she should cut this off now before it went any further. There was no way this ended well.

Emma saw Sara pause as if thinking so she decided to be bold. She leaned in and captured the other woman's lips with hers. After enjoying the feel of those lips against hers when Sara kissed back, Emma pulled back.

"So about that date?


	7. Chapter 7

Emma changed her clothes for what she guessed was a personal record of nine times before settling on an outfit for her first date with Sara. After going back and forth – she wondered what Sara did on her free time because scheduling it wasn't easy – they were now going on their first official date. They had gotten together casually, lunches mostly, but this was time Emma could really call it a date.

And she was nervous.

It had been a while since she had been on a date with a woman, but that wasn't why she was so nervous. Sara was unlike most people she had ever met. She had this side of her – the one that clearly loved working with horses and being around kids, then there was this other side that was serious and cultured.

She was also flirty and some times silly, both which Emma enjoyed.

It was almost enough for Emma to ignore the warning bells in her head because there was another part to Sara that Emma was troubled by – the secretive part.

Sara was a master at not answering a question directly. For instance, Emma still had no idea where the other woman lived. When she asked her once, Sara said she was staying with a friend and hadn't really settled on a place. Emma knew she wasn't being truthful. Then Emma went to surprise her at the stables one night when she was supposed to be working but she wasn't there.

She didn't know why Sara would feel the need to lie to her. Sara once said she had trouble trusting people, and Emma was almost willing to chalk it up to that because she really liked the other woman. She must like her, seeing as she even told Regina about her. She had dropped Henry off on a Sunday night and it was dinner time. She was surprised when Regina invited her in, saying she had made more than she and Henry could want. Henry excitedly accepted the invite for her and the next thing she knew she was sitting at Regina's table having dinner. Regina had made lasagna and it was so amazing, Emma had two pieces. Afterward, she sat there talking with Regina while she was doing dishes.

_"How did you meet her?" Regina asked._

_"At a bar on one of my rare times out with Ruby. Some guy was hitting on her and she wasn't having any of it so I stepped in."_

_"Playing the role of savior even in a bar?"_

_"Hardly. Plus she didn't really need my help. She isn't the kind of woman who let's people get the upper hand on her."_

_"I take it since you said she works at the stables that she is the friend you were inquiring about getting a job for?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"Um, actually, all I knew about her after meeting her was that she worked at the stables, so I was trying to find out more about her. I mean I've found people with less to go on. I didn't really want to wait until I randomly ran into on the street, which is a good thing because I have never randomly run into her in this town."_

_"You are lucky you are sheriff. She might have turned you in for stalking."_

_"Look at you trying to make a joke."_

_"Only at your expense."_

Emma was smiling just thinking about it. Regina seemed more relaxed lately, more likely to smile or just engage in small talk. It suited her, Emma thought. A knock on the door brought her out of her musings and she cursed out loud. It had to be Sara and she wasn't ready yet. A quick look at the time showed Sara was punctual as always.

She ran to the door and opened it.

"Wow."

"Is it too much?" Sara asked.

"It's just wow," Emma said taking in the sight of her. Sara was wearing a black skirt, matching heels that showed off her toned legs, and a short-sleeved, low cut red blouse that Emma wanted to reach out and touch.

"Can I come in?"

'"Oh, yes," Emma said moving out of the way. She wondered when, or if, Sara would ever stop making her feel like she was some sort of klutz with her words and actions. "Um make yourself at home. I need to finish up."

Emma went to her room so Sara took the time to look around the place. She hadn't been in there before but she had to admit the place seemed like Emma. The TV and vide game system for her and Henry were obviously more money than the couch and chair. The kitchen was clean but she needed to put away her dishes that had long since dried. There was a half-empty glass of water on an end table – no coaster.

Sara picked up a framed photo. It was of Emma and Henry in New York. They were both smiling broadly and Sara realized Henry had the same type of smile as Emma. She had never noticed before.

She was also nervous for this date, although she was doing a better job than Emma at hiding it. She had changed clothes over and over – having bought new clothes to wear. She didn't want to wear a skirt or shirt that were already hers, already Regina's. She wanted something new for Emma.

Based on Emma's reaction she had chosen well and that made her happy.

Emma finally came out, having changed outfits again. They walked out of the apartment and Emma locked up, taking Sara's hand in hers to walk out. They drove to a small Italian restaurant on the edge of the city proper to eat.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question about the Enchanted Forest?" Emma asked part way through the meal, where she had lasagna that wasn't as good as Regina's.

"I don't mind at all."

"It's kind of personal so feel free not to answer, but I was wondering if being gay or bi or whatever was as big of an issue there as it can be here. I mean when I came out to my parents, they were ok with it but I sort of figured that was because they are my parents so they tend to be ok with things because I am there daughter."

"I would say it's not a contentious but that may be because here you have TV and other media that everyone has access to. Back home you don't so it may be a bigger issue there if people could communicate better if that makes any sense."

"It does. I forget how different the two worlds are sometimes because everyone here was given memories to fit in. Was it hard for you to come out?"

Sara put down her fork and looked at Emma. "When I had my first real kiss it was with a girl. When my mother found out, not only she did essentially force this girl's family away from where we lived she made it abundantly clear what would happen to me if she ever caught me engaging in such activity ever again. My mother, she could be … controlling."

"I noticed before that you've talked about your dad but never mention your mom."

"My relationship with her was never what it should have been. You are lucky to have parents who are understanding."

"I am sorry you had to grow up like that," Emma said.

"I'm sorry you didn't get the chance to grow up with your parents."

Emma was surprised by the heartfelt apology that she paused a moment before shrugging, "it wasn't your fault," she smiled. "What say we talk about more pleasant things?"

Instead of going to a movie like they had planned, Emma suggested they go for a walk after dinner.

Sara raised an eyebrow, "you don't have to make excuses to hold my hand sheriff, you have my permission."

The way she raised her eyebrow struck Emma in that moment and she suddenly thought of Regina. Shaking off the feeling she took Sara's hand to walk.

They returned later to Emma's place where they sat on the couch talking for about 10 minutes before Emma leaned in and kissed her. It was slow, the barest brush of the lips at first until Sara leaned into it. Once she did Emma increased both her speed and pressure.

…

Sara woke to the sight of Emma asleep next her and she smiled at the dead-to-the-world blonde. They were both still naked from their activities from the night before. She reluctantly slipped from the bed to go the bathroom. Catching the sight of herself in the mirror she cursed. Her magic had worn off over night. She was Regina again.

She was thankful for waking first because she could only imagine the shock Emma would have had if she had woken next to Regina. She was about to put the Sara persona back into place when she stopped. She thought about Emma lying out there in bed.

She was being completely unfair and selfish. She knew this before the date. She had sworn she would just go on the date and after that she would either tell Emma the truth. But she hadn't planned on having sex with Emma either.

Why do I fuck things up so badly, she thought.

Regina turned back into Sara. She returned to the bedroom, found her clothes and dressed. She stared down at the still sleeping form of Emma, kissed her gently on the forehead.

"I'm sorry," she said and then she left.


	8. Chapter 8

When Emma woke to find Sara was gone she didn't get worked up about it. Sara had told her the night before she had to be at the stables early the next morning. When Sara had first said it earlier in the evening, she thought maybe Sara was giving herself an out if things didn't go well. But things had gone even better than Emma could have imagined.

She rolled over on her back and put her hands behind her head. Staring at the ceiling, she thought about the date. Everything about it seemed perfect – dinner, the walk, the kissing and …

She smiled just thinking about it.

_Emma kept kissing Sara, leaning her body into her. Sara matched her pace, slipping her tongue inside Emma's mouth where neither woman seemed ready to concede control. Emma ended up pulling back first. She just wanted to see Sara's face, which was smiling at her.  
"You are really good at that," Sara said._

_"So are you," Emma said diving back in. She brought their lips together and placed a hand on Sara's thigh, just at the end of her skirt. She let her fingers trace light patterns there as she continued to enjoy the feel of those lips against hers. _

_Sara brought her hands up to Emma's neck and urged her to move forward even more. Sara was pressed back against the couch and Emma used her strength to move her so they were both now horizontal – Emma on top. Things were progressing faster than she would have expected, but Sara wasn't protesting and appeared to be just as eager if not more than Emma as she pulled Emma's shirt out of the waistband and laid her hand against Emma's back. _

_On one particular deep kiss, she felt Sara dig her nails in slightly and Emma moaned in appreciation. She wanted more of this woman. She wanted to see more of her. She lifted up so she was practically hovering over her. _

_"You're beautiful," she told Sara. "Just beautiful."_

_She lowered herself so she could again kiss her, but this time instead of on the lips she moved a little lower, kissing her on her neck. She felt Sara squirm underneath her as her tongue hit a spot just behind the ear. She would have to remember that spot for later, she thought as she ran her tongue down her neck and then up, kissing along the jawline before returning to those lips._

_Sara's hand went lower, slipping under the pants, squeezing one of Emma's muscular cheeks. Emma had one of her hands on Sara's hip and she took Sara's wandering as a sign that she too could partake. She moved her hand up under the blouse, feeling along Sara's side. She could only move it so far in this position, but she took was she could get. _

_This time when she pulled back, she took a moment to just take in this woman below her. She moved her hand out of her shirt and brushed it lightly across her cheek._

_"I want you," Emma said. "But if this is too quick, and it's ok if you think it is, just tell me what you want."_

_"I want you too," Sara said moving up kiss her. _

_"We might be more comfortable in the bedroom," Emma said in between kisses. _

_Once Sara made a noise of agreement, Emma got off of her, offering her hand to help her up off the couch. She kept a hold of that hand as she led her to the bedroom. She led Sara over to the bed but she didn't get on it. Instead she pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her and kissed her. They stayed like that standing and kissing until Sara pushed her back against the bed. Emma toppled over and almost took Sara with her. Sara merely grinned at her._

_Emma watched as Sara carefully, and seductively unbuttoned her shirt. She pulled the garment off, letting it hit the ground. She then turned her back to Emma, looking over her shoulder. "Can you help with the zipper?" she said, and Emma wasted no time sitting up and reaching for the zipper to lower it. It too fell to the ground, and Sara turned. She was now wearing only a bra, stockings and panties. Emma placed her hands on Sara's hips and felt down along her thighs. Sara took Emma's face in her hand and bent down to kiss her once more. _

_Emma pulled Sara down on top of her, moving back farther onto the bed. Sara straddled her and gripped Emma's shirt, pulling it up, forcing Emma to sit up to get it off. Emma went ahead and removed her bra at the same time and she saw the look of appreciation – almost awe – on Sara's face as she looked down at her breasts. Sara was almost tentative about touching them, but once she did she gave them all of her attention – kissing around them, licking, sucking and tweaking the nipples until Emma thought she might actually cum from it. _

_She wasn't about to go that easily though and grabbed Sara's arm and quickly, but carefully flipped their positions so she was now on top. The move caught Sara off guard but she smiled at Emma in apparent appreciation of the move and the strength it took to pull it off. Emma was kneeling between Sara's spread legs and she ran her hands along them. Reaching the top, she looked at Sara for confirmation before pulling the panties and stockings off. Sara removed her bra as Emma stepped off the bed to remove the remainder of her clothing. _

_Emma put a knee back on the edge of the bed and took a few seconds to admire the body that now lay before her. She moved so she was again on top of Sara, using her arms to hold herself up above her before moving lower for another slow, drawn out kiss. She couldn't hold herself up forever so she slowly lowered her body down. She felt her tits rub against Sara's - both of them with their nipples still hard from how turned on they were in this moment. _

_As she was kissing her, Emma reached down and made her first excursion to Sara's nether regions, running her finger gently along the slit. She didn't enter, merely used her finger to tease the outside. She could feel the wetness already leaking out and when she did slip her finger between the folds it immediately became coated. Sara deepened the kiss and ran her hands along Emma's back, again digging her nails in. Under other circumstances Emma may have thought it hurt, but now right now – now it only served as more fuel for to want to see this woman come completely undone at her hands. _

_But Sara wasn't ready to concede total control yet as she wrapped her legs around Emma and rocked her over to the side, so now they facing each other on their sides. Sara reached down and unlike Emma, dispensed with the teasing as she moved her fingers to her clit and began to manipulate the tiny nub. _

_She circled it and applied pressure to it and Emma knew if she kept it up, she wouldn't last long, so to even things out by entering Sara with two fingers. Sara cried out in pleasure from the intrusion. Emma noticed Sara was not only wet, she was tight, as she felt like the flesh was capturing her fingers with each thrust. Sara lost some of the rhythm she had going on Emma's clit as she was overwhelmed with her own pleasure. Emma picked up the pace, keeping her eyes locked on Sara. She wanted to see her the moment she came and cum she did, crying out with an almost animal sound of pleasure. _

_Emma watched as the orgasm rocked Sara's body and as Sara's eyes closed during it, Emma leaned in and kissed her. _

_Forgotten was her own pleasure for the moment as she watched Sara breath in and out – recovering._

_Once she recovered Sara opened her eyes and looked at Emma. She kissed her this time and then pulled back. "I want to taste you," she said._

Emma felt herself getting wet just thinking about it again. Before going down on her, Sara had admitted she had never done it before. Emma found the admission made Sara seem even more endearing to her. Emma told she didn't have to if she didn't want to, but Sara assured she did and she wanted Emma to be her first. And whether it was a testament to Sara, to how turned on she was, or combination of both, it didn't take long before Emma was calling out Sara's name as she came.

Emma got up out of bed, still naked, and found her cell phone. She dialed Sara's number, a little disappointed at getting voicemail, but she figured Sara was probably busy at the stables.

"Hey, it's me," Emma said after the voicemail prompt. "I just wanted to let you know that I woke and I was thinking about you. I had an amazing time last night and I can't wait to see you again. Call me."

She stared at her phone a moment. She really couldn't wait to see her again. While she hadn't known Sara that long she felt this unbelievable connection with her. She wondered if it was possible to have fallen in love that quickly.

…

Regina listened to third voicemail that Emma had left for "Sara" that day. She had turned the phone off after the second one. The message from that morning had meant so much to her, but also made her feel guilt ridden. By the third one, where Emma tried to sound like she wasn't worried about Sara not calling her back, Regina felt like the lowest person on the face of the earth.

Never had she felt such regret.


	9. Chapter 9

Regina listened to the voicemail for the fifth time before calling Emma.

"Hey," Emma answered with a little hesitation in her voice. It was not at all like Regina was used to hearing when "Sara" called.

"Hi. Sorry I hadn't called you back until now."

"That's ok. I probably sounded like an idiot in my messages."

"No you didn't. I especially liked the first one. I was thinking about you all day."

"You were?" Emma said her voice instantly cheering up.

"Yes. Last night was … it was more than I could have imagined."

"I feel the same way. I admit I was getting a little worried that I might have done something wrong since I hadn't heard from you."

"No, you were perfect," Regina said, and she meant it. "I was wondering if we could get together and talk."

"That sounds ominous."

"Sorry," Regina said. "I don't mean for it to sound that way, but … we need to talk."

"I could come over to your place right now."

"Are you at home?"

"Yes."

"I'll be over in a little bit then."

…

Emma didn't stop pacing since she got off the phone with Sara. She knew something was wrong when Sara hadn't called her back all day. She knew and despite playing the evening back in her mind several times, she had no idea what it was. Sara had enjoyed the evening as much as Emma had.

And yet again Sara wouldn't let her come over. What was she hiding? Maybe that is what she was coming over to talk about. She was driving herself crazy with thoughts until there was a knock on the door. She opened it to Sara who was dressed similar to what she had been the first night they met. Only the shirt was different but everything else appeared to be the same – except Sara wasn't smiling at her.

"Come in," Emma said.

Sara came in and they both went to the couch – Sara taking one end and Emma the other.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked.

"Last night was one of the greatest nights of my life," Sara said. "You are … I can't even begin to say how amazingly wonderful you are because every time I think I can say it the words seem inadequate."

She lapsed into silence, looking away. Emma inches closer, taking Sara's hand. "Whatever it is that's got you so upset, just say it. If I did something …"

"You didn't do anything wrong. Please believe me when I say that," Sara said. "It's me. I … You deserve better. And I can't … I can't keep lying to you."

"Lying to me about what? Is this about why you won't let me know where you live or why you are always busy?"

"Yes."

"Then just tell me what it is. Tell me the truth and we will go from there."

"If you knew the truth you would hate me forever and I don't know that I could live like that. I came here tonight to say we can't see each other anymore."

Emma stood up and ran her hands back through her hair. "You are being serious right now, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Emma walked away a moment, trying to gather the whirlwind of emotions that were suddenly pushing against her chest. "Don't I get a say in this? I mean you said yourself that last night was great. I feel the same way. To me it was … special. And now you are saying what that you are liar and you can't tell me about what but it means we can't see each other. I can't accept that. I won't accept that."

"You have to," Sara said getting up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten involved with you at all. I knew better, but … I just wanted to try and be me even if it was for a little while."  
"What does that even mean?"

"It means if you knew me, you wouldn't like me. It means I hurt you because that is what I do. I hurt people and as much as I didn't want to hurt you the moment we met it was inevitable. But I do have a choice in walking away now and not hurting you anymore than I already have. I wish there was another way. I'm sorry."

Sara made it part way to the door when Emma caught up to her, spun her around and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around Sara not wanting to let her go. Sara kissed her back but then tried to pull away. Emma held on. "Please, just let's sit down and talk about this. Whatever it is, I promise I won't hate you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I know we haven't known each other long, but I feel like I've known you for years. I …I care about you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Sara kissed her this time and then pulled Emma's arms off her and stepped back. "It means more than you will ever get to know. I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that. Stop saying that when it's not true. How can you be sorry if you knew you were going to hurt me? Is anything you ever said to me even the truth?"

Sara looked away and then back at her, "I guess maybe the answer is no."

She turned and walked out.

….

Regina sat in Archie's office for her normal session, having just finished telling him about what had happened.

"Why couldn't you tell her the truth?" he asked.

"You know why," she snapped. She was angry, not at him, but at herself, at the world. She knew how badly she messed up and she also knew there was no way to fix it. "This was a stupid idea from the start. The only person I can be is Regina, mistakes and all, that is who I am in this town. No one is ever going to see past that. I'm trapped here and the irony is I did it to myself."

"You aren't trapped here. You can cross the border anytime you want. You could go out into that world and live your life there where no one knows your past."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Henry. I couldn't leave Henry. Besides if no one knows my past how could they ever really know me?"

"Exactly. Your past experiences are part of who you are – the good and the bad. You aren't happy as Regina because you feel your past limits you on showing people who you really are. You aren't happy as Sara because you can't show people your past so they know who you really are. You aren't going to be happy until you can reconcile that."

"Great so I am never going to be happy."

"That would be your choice entirely."

Regina looked down at the carpet. She tried to think about why she had started coming to see Archie in the first place. Originally it had been for Henry, to try and learn to live a life without magic. But that hadn't ended well. She had started coming back to him for a completely different reason – she wasn't happy, and she doubted from the beginning that this would make a difference.

"Maybe this should be our last session," she said.

"If that is what you want. I don't recommend it though. Regina, believe it or not but you have come a long way. You knew from the beginning this wouldn't be easy. It's not in your nature to trust people, to open up to them. You are making progress. I've said this before, and I will keep saying it as long as you will listen – this doesn't work if all you want to do it scratch at the surface of things. You are limiting your own healing when you refuse to talk about the things you have never dealt with – Daniel's death, your marriage to the king, your mother. You can't ignore these things and think they won't affect you even after all of these years."

Regina stood. "Thank you for trying to help," she said and headed to the door.

"Regina, two questions before you go, and you don't have to answer it out loud just think about it. How deeply do your feelings for Emma go, and could she make you happy?"

Regina didn't pause before leaving.

…

The public safety committee wasn't exactly something Regina needed to go to as mayor. She would get the minutes of the meeting regardless, but it had been just over a week now since she had seen Emma and as sheriff she would be there. Once Regina went though, she wished she hadn't.

Emma was there and gave her report, updating everyone on the new officers and areas of safety concern. She kept it brief and when she was finished she sort of slumped down in her seat as if this was the last place in the world she wanted to be. Regina wasn't even sure she was listening through the second half of it.

Regina had spent a lifetime learning how to mask her emotions so people wouldn't know if she was upset – beyond showing her anger. But Emma wasn't that kind of person and right now Regina could tell she was hurting.

And it was all Regina's fault.

After the meeting Emma was the first to the door, and Regina had to move quickly to catch up. "Emma, um sheriff," she said reminding herself who she was. She wasn't Sara she told herself.

Emma turned, "what is it?"

"Is everything ok?"

Emma seemed taken aback by the question, and Regina assumed it was because of who was asking.

"Yeah, everything is great." The tone in her voice suggested deeply that it wasn't true, but Regina didn't know how to begin to address that with her.

"Um, well I just wanted to let you know that Henry has a birthday party he would like to go to this weekend. It's Saturday afternoon,"

"I think he mentioned it. Do I need to go pick up a gift for him to take?"

"No. I got it already. Since it's your weekend I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Yeah, got it," she said turning and leaving.

Regina exhaled, trying to remain calm. There was no way for her to fix this.

…

Sara brushed down the mare, taking comfort in the routine. She didn't know why she was here or why she continued to come here in the hours that she could spare. It's not like she couldn't come to the stables as Regina, but as Regina she couldn't very well do what she was doing now.

She finished the task and walked the horse into its stall, which she had cleaned out earlier. If nothing else the work she had picked here was making her arm muscle seem more defined, she thought. She closed the stall, took off the work gloves and sat down on a hay bale and took a drink of her bottled water.

She knew part of the reason she kept coming here was because she found when she could concentrate on a task, she didn't think as much about Emma.

Lately her thinking had taken the turn of wondering how things could have been different for them if she had just been born in this world as Regina and Emma and had met under normal circumstances.

Despite knowing how useless that line of thinking was, she found she still thought about it.

It wasn't fair.

Her anger started to get the best of her just thinking about how wrong her life had gone. She tried to temper the anger down but she felt it there at the surface of her being. She knew when she got this way that she was dangerous. She had worked hard on not giving into the anger, but it felt overwhelming to her in this moment.

She stood and threw the water bottle as far as she could to the other end of the stable. She put her hands on her hips and looked up the ceiling trying to keep her cool. Instead of anger though, she suddenly found tears in her eyes – streaking down her cheeks.

The sound of stable door creaking behind her had her hastily wiping away those tears before turning.

"Emma."

"Hey," the blonde woman said approaching her. "You disconnected your phone so I didn't know how else to get a hold of you. A smarter person probably would have gotten the hint and gave up, but I'm not that smart. I needed to see you, I needed to … were you crying?"

Sara turned wiping at her face another time, before turning back. "No … I just …what are you doing here?"

"I miss you," Emma said cupping her cheek. Sara leaned into the gesture, closing her eyes.

"I miss you too."

Emma kissed her lips even as Sara kept her eyes closed. She didn't mean to kiss back, but she did but then pulled away.

"At least I know you still like kissing me," Emma said giving her a small, but sad smile. "Sara, can't we please talk about this?"

"There isn't anything to talk about."

"How can you say that? Was it all some fling to you because I don't understand. I thought we were headed somewhere. I don't know where, but I thought I don't know that there were feelings here on both of our parts. Tell me something, anything, please."

"It wasn't a fling," Sara said taking a step toward her but then stopped before she got closer. Emma could tell it was taking effort on Sara's part. She was purposely holding herself back. "I do care about you more than you could possibly know."

"Then why? Why can't we try this?" Sara looked away and Emma could see she was struggling. Emma moved closer, took her hand. "Please tell me what this is all about."

"I can't. I can't."

"Yes you can. You're a strong person. Whatever it is, we can deal with it."

"I … hurt people." She pulled away again. "I am a bad person. I hurt everyone I come in contact with. Before you, before you I didn't really have anyone in my life. No friends. Nothing. It's for the best."

"You aren't a bad person. I know you aren't," Emma said grabbing her hand and pulled it up to her chest so it was just over Emma's heart. "I know you are a good person because I can feel it in here."

This time Sara kissed her. Emma wrapped her arms around her, wanting to hold on to her.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma pushed Sara back against the stall, keeping their mouths attached. She broke it off just long enough to pull Sara's shirt up and off. She let her hands run along Sara's side, feeling the sweat that had built up while she had worked with horses. She kissed Sara's neck, tasting some of that sweat right there.

She sucked hard on that spot, wanting to leave a mark, wanting to leave something lasting on her.

"Emma," Sara said. "Emma, we um …"

Emma stopped and held Sara's head in her hands. "I want you. Tell me you don't want me and I will stop."

Sara answered by pushing Emma back against the next empty stall, and reached around to the latch, sliding the door open and pulling Emma inside with her – shutting the door behind them.

Sara reached for Emma's pants, unbuttoning them and sliding the zipper down. She pushed her hand down into the panties, pressing her fingers against Emma's clit, while Emma unhooked Sara's bra and reached for her breasts. They again kissed each other – hard and fast.

Sara pulled out of her pants, dropped to her knees and pulled Emma's pants and panties down. She sunk her tongue into Emma, relishing that taste once again. She felt Emma's hand grip her hair urging her on. Sara wouldn't stop now short of someone pulling her off of Emma.

She ran her tongue up and down, teasing that nub and sucking on it.

Emma felt Sara's tongue run along her slit and she wanted to spread her legs but because Sara pulled her pants down and not off, her legs were trapped. She held on to Sara's hair as that tongue continued to move and revved her up.

She was moaning at this point just enjoying the feelings. When Sara pushed two fingers into her she cried out from the pleasure. Never had she been with someone where everything came so naturally. Sara's fingers moved inside of her, pushing her against her walls.

"Sara," she said as she was getting closer. She closed her eyes knowing it wouldn't be much longer. "Sara. I …" She came before she could say anything else.

Sara stood back up and kissed her. Emma didn't need any time to recover. She kicked off her own shoes finished stripped, grabbing Sara and pushing her into the fresh pile of hay.

…

Sara opened her eyes, and realized she must have fallen asleep after her last orgasm. The hay was poking at her and she sat up but immediately felt the pull on wrist.

"Sorry, but I didn't want a repeat performance," Emma said.

"You cuffed me to you," Sara said tugging at the cuffs.

"I just didn't want you to sneak off again," Emma said unlocking the cuffs.

Sara rubbed at her wrist as soon as it was off. She got to her feet and started to pick up her clothes.

"I'm sorry," Emma said again. "I just … would you have left if I hadn't?"

Sara looked away and Emma knew she had her answer. She got up and began getting her own clothes on. She followed Sara out of the stall where Sara picked up her shirt. They dressed in silence.

"I have to go," Sara said once she was finished dressing.

"Don't," Emma said grabbing her arm. "You can't just leave. We have to talk about this. We have to."

"There isn't anything to talk about. We …I'm sorry, but this was a mistake. I shouldn't have … I'm sorry."

She made it to the stable door.

"I've fallen in love with you."

Sara's hand froze on the door. She forced herself to not turn around and look at Emma. Her hand started to shake and she felt a tear on her cheek.

"I know we haven't known each other that long, but I've fallen in love with you. I love you Sara. And I know, I know you feel something for me at least. I know you do. Just tell me you feel it and whatever it is that is holding you back, I swear we can work it out. I'm asking you to trust me. I am asking you to have faith in me."

Sara turned toward her, more tears streaming down her face. Emma came up to her and Sara pulled her in, kissing her. She held their foreheads together after she was done kissing her. "I love you."

Emma stood there as Sara left.

…

Emma sat in her cruiser staring at the house. She knew what she had done went well beyond her limits as a sheriff, but she wasn't thinking like a sheriff when she did it.

She finally got out of the car and strode up to the door. She rang the doorbell and waited.

"Sheriff Swan," Regina said after an initial pause.

"Where's Sara?"


	11. Chapter 11

"Where's Sara?" Emma repeated as she forced her way inside. "Sara!"

"Sheriff. I am not sure what this is all about, but I assure you that it only Henry and I here," Regina started to say but Emma turned on her.

"Where is she Regina? I put a GPS tracker on her car and it led here."

"You did what?"

"I tracked her car to here. I suppose you have it stashed in your garage," Emma said moving through several rooms. "Where is she?"

"If you would calm down …"

"I am not going to calm down until you tell me where she's at."

Henry came down the stairs after hearing Emma yell. Emma came up to him, "Henry is there a woman in this house?"

"Um…" he looked at Regina.

"She has short blonde hair, her name is Sara," Emma said.

"No," he said in confusion. "What's this all about?"

"Henry, go to your room while I talk to your mom," Regina said.

Emma nodded to him when he looked at her. "Where is she?" Emma said again as soon as Henry was gone.

"Come with me," Regina said. Emma hesitated. "Please."

Emma followed her into the study and Regina closed the door behind them.

"I swear Regina if you have done something to her."

"Is that what you think, that I have done something to her?"

"I don't know, you tell me. You tell me why Sara is so secretive and so afraid. Something has her scared. I just didn't think it was someone who had her scared. What, is she one of the poor wretches that did nothing to you in the Enchanted Forest, yet you feel the need to punish them. Did you think you lucked out when she came through during the second curse? You know I was actually thinking you had changed, that you could be a good person, but I guess I was wrong."

Regina looked away from Emma. "Wait here," she said moving to the door. Emma made to stop her and Regina stared her down, "wait here."

Regina left the room and went upstairs. She couldn't believe Emma had put tracker on her car. The last thing she expected was Emma on her doorstep asking where Sara was. Regina went up to her bedroom, going to her closet and quickly changing her clothes into something "Sara" would wear. Even as she put them on, she knew this would be the last time she did so. She looked at herself in the mirror once more and then used her magic to become Sara.

Emma was pacing back and forth when she entered the room. "Sara," Emma said rushing up and wrapping her arms around her. She felt Sara tense up. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Sara said pulling away. "You shouldn't have come here."

"Did you think I was just going to let you go? I love you, and you love me, and I get it, I get that some thing has been holding you back, and whatever Regina's involvement is, I will protect you."

"I don't need your protection from her."

"Just tell me what this is all about. Has she done something to you? Did you get mixed up in something she is doing? Whatever it is, I promise I will help you," Emma said coming forward and taking her hand. "I'm not afraid of her."

Sara pulled away again. "I tried to tell you. I tried to tell you that I was a bad person, that I hurt people. I never wanted us to get here to where we are now, and it's my fault. It's completely and utterly my fault because this is what I do, I make stupid decisions. My entire life is one stupid decision after another. And this ends only one way, with me getting nothing. You would think after all this time I would realize it's because I don't deserve it."

"I don't know what any of that is supposed to mean."

"You can walk out right now Emma. Walk away and the hurt will be as minimized as I can make it. But if you stay, you're going to get hurt more than you think. Walk away, please."

"I am not going to walk away and leave you here with her," she said taking her hand again. "Come on, let's go. Let's get out of here together. She won't stop us. I won't let her."

A tear went down Sara's face. "Hey, hey, don't cry," Emma said kissing her. "I know this is probably scary but I'm right here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"Why wouldn't you just walk away?" Sara said moving back away. More tears were now coming down.

"Because I love you," Emma said.

"No you don't. You can't. I don't deserve it,"

"Sara …"

Regina dropped the magic as Emma took a step toward her. Emma stopped.

The two women stared at each other, Emma breaking eye contact first to look at Regina from toe to head. She looked her in the eyes, which were still glistening with unshed tears.

And then she turned and left.

…

Emma was surprised when Archie came into her office. "Hello Emma."

"Hey Archie, is Pongo missing again?"

"No, he is fine. Do you mind if I sit?"

Emma indicated that it was fine to do so.

"I ran into Henry the other day. I could tell he was bothered by something but he wasn't ready to talk about it quite yet. We chatted about little things and that is when he told me that he was worried about you."

"Worried about me? I don't see why. I am fine."

"Yes, he mentioned the word 'fine' gets used a lot lately by both of his moms." Archie noticed Emma tensed at the mention of Regina. "Did you know she has nightmares? She's had them most of her life she said, but they started to get worse, along with migraines, most likely caused by stress. Henry was worried about her and suggested she come see me. I imagine nothing short of Henry asking her to do so would have gotten her to my office."

"Of course Regina, being who she is, it wasn't easy – especially not those first few sessions. But slowly she would open a little, reveal more about herself."

"Is there a point to this?" Emma asked, not wanting to hear about Regina.

"I don't know what happened between you and Regina. She stopped coming to see me before whatever happened. I do feel somewhat responsible. I am the one who encouraged her to find away to go out and interact with people where her past wasn't an issue. I encouraged her to find out who she really is. Sara was the result."

Emma looked away. "Did you tell her to lie and manipulate people, or should I just assume that is Regina being Regina?"

"She has spent most of her life lying to herself. The point of this exercise was for her to determine who she is – right or wrong, good or bad."

"Well congratulations your exercise proved she is what people think she is – the evil queen. Now if that is all, I have work to do."

Archie stood up to leave. He paused at the door. "I don't think you are right about what it proved. If anything it proved that people will never see her as anything more than the evil queen, even people who claim to have cared for her."

…

Regina dismounted from the horse she had taken out. She waived off the stable hand, letting him know she would handle it herself. She had been making a habit of going out for rides lately, and she always cleaned out her own stall and brushed down her own horse. Sara may no longer be around, but Regina wasn't ready to give up spending time at the stables.

It had been a long month.

Ever since Emma, no she told herself, she wasn't going to think about it. She had spent too much time already thinking about it.

She concentrated instead on the task at hand. She took her time brushing down the mare. It relaxed her to do the rhythmic brushing. It calmed her. It kept the demons at bay.

She had come to realize the a few things in the last month. She knew the only person in her life – for the rest of her life would be her son.

She hated that Henry had found her on the floor of her study crying after Emma left. He had asked her what was wrong, and in a moment of weakness she told him the G-rated version of what had happened. Then she came to realize, it wasn't weakness. She needed someone in that moment and Henry was that person.

One of the other things she realized was that she enjoyed coming to the stables. She enjoyed everything about it – even the memories it brought up. She knew why she had avoided the place for years – she feared her memories of Daniel and his death. But she knew now that memories of Daniel were not anything she needed to fear. He had loved her, and she had loved him.

She also realized that she wasn't Sara. Sara was a part of her, but not all of her and that is where she really failed. She thought she could be Sara – at least in a limited fashion for a time but that was nothing more than fantasy.

A fantasy that had cost her.

….

Emma watched as Henry ate his dinner. It had been several days since Archie had stopped to see her, but she couldn't stop thinking about what he had said.

"Hey kid."

"Yeah?"

"You know, when I say I am fine, I really am fine. You don't need to be worried about me or anything. I'm good. It's just that Archie came to talk to me the other day and he said a few things about you maybe being worried about me and I want you to know that I am fine."

"Ok," he said turning back to his food.

There, she thought, Archie was mistaken. She went back to eating her food. "You do believe me, right?"

"That you are fine?"

"Yes."

"No," he said "But mom's not fine either and she says the same thing."

Emma paused. "How is your mom doing?"

"She's … she's been volunteering at the stables. She even took me out there for a lesson. It was pretty fun."

"That's good. I am glad you had fun with it."

Silence.

"You said your mom wasn't fine either, what did you mean by that?"

Henry shrugged, "she's not happy, like you. She pretends like she is ok, but I know better."

"Um … does Regina have nightmares?"

"Some times. She doesn't think I know, but some times I hear her."

"They must get pretty bad if you can hear her."

He shrugged again. "She's had them for as long as I can remember. After everything calmed down I thought Archie might be able to help, but I guess not. I think she misses being Sara."

"She um…she told you about that?"

"Yeah. She said that is why you two don't speak anymore because she lied to you and she hurt you. I figured that was why you were unhappy. Is that why?"

She again pauses. "Yes that and I …I miss Sara."  
"But Sara is my mom too."

"No she isn't."


	12. Chapter 12

Emma entered Granny's and found people were eagerly talking to each other. She went up to the counter. "What's going on?" Emma said indicating the many people who had the newspaper out and were talking.

"You didn't go to city council last night?" Ruby asked.

"No," Emma said. She hadn't gone unless it was absolutely necessary – which it hadn't been – since she found out about Sara. She wanted to limit any contact with Regina.

"Regina is stepping down as mayor."

"What?"

"Yeah. She told city council last night that she is stepping down at the end of the month. The council is going to appoint an interim mayor and then there will be special election to choose a new one. Wild isn't it?"

"Did she say why?"

"Personal reasons is what the paper said. But I've also heard she's been working part-time up at the stables for the last month or more. She apparently mucks stalls and everything if you can believe it. I've heard she doesn't demand any special treatment up there, even though it's her money that supports the place. People were a little wary at first, but one of the stable hands was in the other day and she's a hard worker, knows her stuff and doesn't complain. So I don't know what is going on."

"Neither do I," Emma said. "I got to go."

"Don't you want your morning coffee?"

"Maybe later," she said walking out. Regina was stepping down as mayor. That made no sense. Being mayor was the last way she had to assert authority over anyone. She got in her car and drove to the station thinking about it. Did Henry know about this?

She spent most of the day feeling distracted. Every time she had a spare moment to think, she was thinking about Regina and why she would step down. She knew she would keep wondering until she got an answer.

…

Regina sat behind the mayor's desk preparing things for her successor. She wasn't sure she would miss being mayor. There were things she actually enjoyed about it and they weren't the things people probably thought she enjoyed. Her mind tended to want things organized and neat and as mayor she used that to make her town organized. People could hate her if they wanted but they couldn't ever say that she didn't take care of issues immediately. Even if it was someone whose house got skipped on a trash pick up, she would interceded and get it done.

But she was ready to move on from it.

The few people who had asked her why she was stepping down she had told the same thing. It was time. She wanted to do other things.

She wasn't sure entirely what those things were, but to her it no longer mattered as long as she was the one making the choices.

She still had a couple of weeks before she officially stepped down. She hadn't wanted to just quit; she wanted to give the council time to find a replacement until a permanent mayor was elected. It would be interesting to see who would sign up for the election.

Her intercom buzzed.

"Sheriff Swan to see you Mayor Mills," her secretary said.

Regina didn't answer back immediately. Why would Emma be here to see her? It must be an emergency or she wouldn't. Henry.

"Send her in."

Emma came in and Regina stood, "is Henry ok?"

"What? Yes. He is fine," said a confused Emma. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"I just assumed since you were here it must be an emergency of some sort."

"No, nothing like that."

Regina sat back down. "What can I do for you then Sheriff Swan?"

Emma paused unsure for a moment why she had come. She looked at Regina and for a second all she could see was that moment when Sara turned into Regina.

"Why are you stepping down?" Emma finally asked.

"I would you think you would be happy to hear that I am stepping down. It practically guarantees we have limited contact," Regina said not looking at her. She fiddled with some paper work on her desk that was meaningless.

"As Henry's other parent I think I have the right to ask about sudden changes that may affect him and his well-being." She had told that same lie to herself in order to justify why she was here now.

"Henry will be fine. He has no concerns about this. We are currently looking at a smaller house to move into as well, but you will be given more than enough advance notice of that when it happens as Henry's other parent. Now if that is all Sheriff Swan."

Emma stepped back as if to leave and then turned back and put her hands on Regina's desk leaning over. "Just tell me why you are doing this."

Regina looked at her finally. "Because I am tired. I am tired of living a lie. If I had never been queen, I would never have been mayor. And it was never my idea to be queen. That was my mother's dream, not mine."

Emma stood up straight. "Be sure to let me know when you plan on moving," she said before leaving.

…

Emma parked her car outside of the mansion to drop Henry off.

"Big move this weekend," she said.

"Yep," he said.

Regina had let her know two weeks ago that she had bought a house and would be moving this weekend. She did so my sending a note with Henry. They still weren't talking and now that Regina was no longer mayor the only reason they had to talk was Henry. Both women were doing an excellent job at keeping all contact to a minimum.

"Is everything packed?"

"I guess I will find out when I get in there."

"It's probably going to be a lot of work with just the two of you."

"No, some of the stable hands and trainers offered to help, plus Tink will be there. She's probably in there now helping."

"That's good that you will have other help there. Um Tink, you say she's probably in there helping now. Has she been around a lot?"

"Yeah," Henry said. "She and mom have been hanging out a lot. They go riding together sometimes; she comes over for dinner and stuff. If she's there helping tonight she will probably just spend the night."

"Spend the night? Is that something she has done before?"

"Occasionally she does."

Emma resisted the urge to ask in which bedroom she had been spending the night in. It was none of her business after all.

"I should head in."

"Oh yes. Love you."

"I love you too," he said before exiting the car and heading inside. She sat there a moment more.

Regina and Tink. No way, she thought.

…

She knocked on the door and finally Ruby answered.

"Took you long enough," Emma said.

"Sorry, I was getting ready to go out. You want to come?"

"No thanks. Afraid you will run into Sara?"

Emma hadn't told anyone, not even Ruby that Sara was Regina. She simply told her that she and Sara agreed to break it off because they were just too different. Not a complete lie in Emma's mind.

"No I don't feel like going out."

"Then what brings you to my door on a Friday night?"

"Do you have something to drink?"

"Something tells me I am not going to get to go out tonight," she said.

She got a beer for each of them and they sat down. Emma was fingering the label on the bottle not saying anything.

"Ok, out with it," Ruby said. "You have been moody since you and Sara called it quits. If you are that hung up on the woman then why did you agree to break it off?"

"Are Regina and Tink seeing each other?" she blurted out. She knew if anyone in town would know if they were romantically involved it would be Ruby.

"Not that I know of," Ruby said. "But I haven't really seen either one of them lately. Why, do you suspect they are dating?"

"I don't know," she said tearing at the label. "Henry says Tink has been spending a lot of time over there and has even spent the night. Tink is helping her move tomorrow too."

"So this is a jealousy thing?"

"What? No. I just think as Henry's other mom I have a right to know who is hanging around with my kid."

"That's a real convincing answer. Do you want to try again?"

"If I tell you something, do you swear it never leaves this room?"

"Um hello best friend here. It's like written in the code book that we keep each other's secrets. Now what gives?"

Emma looked around the room a bit before finally settling on making eye contact with Ruby. "Sara was Regina."

"Excuse me?"

"Sara was really Regina in disguise."

"No way."

"I wish that were the case, but it isn't."

"Why would she be going around as Sara?"

"I don't know."

"Did you ask her?"

"No. When she told me the truth, or rather showed me the truth, I walked out on her and haven't exchanged but a few sentences with her since then. Archie came to see me and told me that he had encouraged Regina to find a way to try and interact with people in way where her past wouldn't be an issue. Apparently that way was transforming herself into Sara."

"Wow, so you fell in love with Regina?"

"No. I fell in love with Sara."

"But you just said Sara is Regina."

"She is, but she isn't," Emma said getting up and starting to pace. "I mean looking back some of the things she said as Sara made sense that they were about Regina. Like her mother. Sara definitely had an issue with her mother, and well we all know how that worked out for Regina. And then there are the stables. Sara worked there, and now Regina is working there. Then Regina quits as mayor, and I … I went to see her. I asked her why. I don't know why it mattered but I wanted to know."

"What did she say?"

"That she was tired of living a lie. Ironic, don't you think?"

"Let's step back a moment. You were in love with Sara, who turns out was really Regina in disguise because she wanted to interact with people without them knowing her past, which she did because Archie encouraged her to, and when you find out you are understandably mad and upset so you walk out, you've spent all this time now ignoring Regina and yet you want me to believe you are here asking about her and Tink out of concern for Henry and not because you are jealous that Regina/Sara may have found another love interest. Did I miss anything there?"

"I'm not jealous," she said. "I just …I don't see it. Regina and Tink. They didn't even like each other in Neverland when they first came upon each other."

"With all due respect you and Regina didn't like each other either. Do you think Regina was doing the whole Sara thing just to mess with you?"

Emma sat back down. "No. That's the problem. I don't think she was. Even as Sara she tried to warn me away, tried to stop seeing me but I kept pressuring her. Then that disaster of a night when I put a GPS tracker on Sara's car to find out where she lived."

"Um creepy."

"I know, but she was clearly scared by something, and then when it led me to Regina's I …"

She told Ruby all of what happened that night. Even though she had been there it still made her stomach upset to say it out loud. By the end of it, Ruby was the one up and pacing. She sat down on the couch next to Emma.

"Alright, we can get through this, but you have to be able to answer one question."

"What's that?"

"What's the endgame here?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want to happen? Do you want to just get over the whole thing, move on with your life? Or do you want to get back together with Regina?"

"I was never with Regina. Don't you understand that? I was with Sara. Sara is who I want to get back together with, but that's impossible."

"Again, Sara is Regina."

"But they're not, not really."

"Well you can't have Sara then, so you have door number one and door number two, which is it?"

"Door number one," she said. "It's time I got over it."

"Then I guess it doesn't matter if Regina and Tink are dating then."

"No it doesn't," she said standing up. "Thanks for the beer and the talk. Have fun going out."

Ruby walked her to the door and shut it. She was in no mood to go out now. No, now she needed to figure out a way to make her best friend happy again. And it looked like the only way to do that was to reunite her with Sara, whom her rather stubborn friend needed to accept was really Regina.


	13. Chapter 13

Regina came out to the UHaul to grab another box as did Tink who was walking at her side.

"Your stalker is still in her car," Tink said.

"Funny, but our sheriff is hardly a stalker," Regina replied. Emma had parked down the street about 20 minutes ago, something Tink had noticed and pointed out to Regina.

"Maybe I should go knock on her window and invite her to help us instead of watching us. What is she doing anyway?"

"I am sure she is here to check out the house since she will have to park her car outside of it when picking up and dropping off Henry."

"She's known what house it was; she could have stopped by at anytime to scope it out. Instead she chooses the day you are actually moving to do so."

"Perhaps she is merely worried about Henry," Regina said, picking up a box. "After all the poor sheriff must lose sleep over all the horrible things she imagines I am still doing."

Regina knew she shouldn't say such things out loud in case Henry should here, but the truth was she was hurt by the fact Emma was so sure she had done something to Sara. That interaction told her all she needed to know about what Emma Swan thought of her. She still saw her as the Evil Queen and that wasn't likely to change.

Yes, it was her fault. She was willing to accept that going around as Sara was a bad decision. This story of her life could be written from one bad decision to the next. But even as Regina, she had thought maybe she and Emma were doing better, actually getting along.

She added it to the list of things she was wrong about.

"I think you should go up and say something to her," Tink said. Regina had told her about what had happened with the whole Sara deal, and while Tink was inclined to add this to the list of poor decisions Regina seemed to make, she also didn't understand how Emma could claim to love her as Sara. If she did truly love Sara then she should love Regina – at least in Tink's mind.

They placed their boxes in the house and returned for more. There were three people from the stables, co-workers or maybe they were becoming friends, Regina wasn't sure, were carrying in the larger furniture items. She left Henry inside with them so he could tell them where to put it. They had come to the house when she had him last and sort of mapped it out. He was surprised when she let him have a say in it, and she reminded him that she wanted this to be their home. The mansion had been her home before Henry and she had decorated it accordingly, but she wanted this place to feel like her and Henry.

That wasn't to say she wouldn't be using her impeccable taste in decorating the new house.

"She's still there," Tink said as they reached the UHaul.

"Give it up," Regina said and she reached up and rubbed her neck a little.

"Still hurt?" Tink asked.

"It's just a little stiff," Regina said. One of the trainers had a sick child two days ago and Regina stepped in to handle her lessons with her students. And then she had worked her normal duties on top of packing up everything. Her neck had gotten sore.

"Here let me," Tink said setting aside her box and massaging the area that Regina had been rubbing.

"Thanks."

…

Emma was sure at least Tink had seen her park her car. It's not like it was an inconspicuous vehicle. But she also didn't care.

She just wanted to see where her son was going to be living is all.

Yet instead of sitting there for a few moments, she continued to sit there watching as Regina and Tink went back and forth from the house. Both were talking to each other, there were a couple of smiles, a laugh, but no outward sign that they were anything but friends.

That was until Tink started massaging Regina's neck.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. Fuck, she thought, they are dating. How on Earth are they dating? It wasn't like it had been that long since she and Regina had broken off. Wait, she said to herself, I was never going out with Regina. I was going out with Sara.

Thankfully the massage didn't last long and the two women went back inside. Emma put her car in gear and left.

…

Ruby still wasn't sure how to get Emma and Regina back together until the morning about a week after Emma's confession that Sara was Regina when Emma was drinking her morning coffee at the counter and Tink walked in.

Like most people in town Tink usually ordered the same thing each time she came in, which wasn't often. When she did, she would drink milk regardless of what meal it was and if it was breakfast, she wanted pancakes. So when she ordered a milk and coffee with cream and no sugar to go, Ruby knew she wasn't staying for breakfast but she also knew who she was going to go see with that coffee.

"Taking Regina something to drink?" Ruby asked once Tink told her what she wanted.

"Yeah, we're going out riding this morning."

"Sounds like fun. I can't remember the last time I rode on a horse," Ruby said. "Of course like some animals horses can sometimes sense the wolf in me and it makes them skittish. But I hear that Regina is quite a good rider."

"She is," Tink said. "She makes it look so natural."

"How is the whole not being mayor thing going for her?"

"Great," Tink said happily. "She's so much more … I don't know. When I first met her she was still innocent – more or less – and it's like she's getting in touch with the person she could have been all along. It's been wonderful to see."

"She does seem happier the couple of times I have seen her," she said handing her the coffee and going to get the milk. She noticed Emma was openly staring at Tink, and it seemed Tink now noticed as well.

"Hi Emma,"

"Hi."

Tink came up to her. "You know you could have helped on Saturday with the whole move since you were in the area."

"I was following up on a call,"

"Really, because I didn't see you getting out of the car."

"I didn't realize my comings and goings were of that much interest to you," Emma said coolly and Ruby noticed that neither woman seemed to be in the mood to back down to the other.

"I am just saying you could have helped, but then again we did have it well in hand so it's not like you were needed."

"No you seemed to have it all in hand from what I could see."

"We did. You know it's a shame you can't see that Regina's changed. It might be nice for Henry to see his moms getting along. But since you can't see that, maybe it's best that you continue to stay away. Good day sheriff."

Emma didn't bother responding but Ruby could tell from the look on her face that she wanted to respond, and probably not just with words.

"Did she just tell me to stay away from Regina?" Emma asked.

That's not what she thought Tink meant by it exactly. Ruby knew by now there was nothing going on between Tink and Regina beyond friendship. Tink was merely defending Regina's character, but hey she thought if Emma wanted to take it that way.

"I think she did," Ruby said. "And I think you have your answer as to whether they are dating or not. Plus she sort of smells like Regina."

"I didn't smell anything."

"Wolf senses remember. And it's a recent scent."

Emma looked pissed but she merely got up and muttered "stupid fairy" and walked out.

Definitely jealous, Ruby thought. She could work with this.

…

Ruby had to actually ask around to find out where Tink lived. She was working at the library with Belle and renting an apartment nearby. She didn't drive and walked most places. She knocked on the door and found she was curious as to what the place would look like.

Tink answered the door. "Ruby? Um hi."

"Hi Tink. Look I know we don't know each other super well, but I was hoping I could come in and discuss a proposition with you."

"What kind of proposition?"

"The kind where your friend Regina is happy and my friend Emma is happy. Thus making the rest of us happier. Are you interested?"

"What did you have in mind?"

Ruby came in as Tink stepped aside. The apartment was very simple as if Tink hadn't gone out and bought anything for it. She was fairly certain the apartment came furnished and Tink hadn't changed anything. There were a few plants and goldfish in a bowl, but otherwise it was kind of sparse.

The TV was nice though and Ruby wondered if she spent her first paycheck on it.

Tink noticed her looking at it. "I've been trying to learn about this world from the TV and Belle has also given me some books to read. It's all so different from where we come from."

"Yes it is, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I preferred it here. The flushable toilets alone are worth it to me."

"You think you have an idea of how Regina can be happy?"

"Regina and Emma. Yes. I am going to make a guess here that you know about Sara."

"I do," Tink said. "I can understand why she would want to go out as someone who wouldn't be judged like she is, but she still handled it wrong."

"I think we can agree on that. As Sara though she fell in love with Emma and vice versa. We just need to get them together as Regina and Emma."

"I don't see that happening. Sorry, but Emma said some hurtful things to Regina and she already has trust issues. Plus the way Emma has been acting like Regina has the plague and won't come near her, I don't see Emma wanting to start anything up with her."

"I admit there are obstacles, but can you honestly tell me that Regina doesn't love Emma still?"

Tink paused, "she still does."

"Good. I am certain Emma loves Regina too, she is having difficulty seeing it because of the whole Sara thing. She loved Sara. We need to get her to realize those feelings were for Regina – something she isn't ready to admit yet."

"If she won't admit it, what makes you think you can change her mind?"

"I don't think I can. I think you can, which is why I am here."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because Emma is jealous of you."

"Jealous of me? What possible reason would she have to be jealous of me?"

"Because she thinks you are having sex with Regina."

"What! Why would she think that?"

"You two have been spending a lot of time together. Henry mentioned you spent the night a few times."

"I spent the night two nights in a row because my electric was out and Regina insisted and I spent the night to help her move that's it. Don't get me wrong, I like Regina, but she and I are not having sex together."

"Well I may have also indicated to her that you had Regina's scent on you."

"Why would you do that?"

"To make Emma jealous."

"How does that help?"

"Because the more jealous Emma becomes the more she will be forced to accept that she has feelings for Regina."

"Oh," Tink said, as if the simplicity of it just hit her. "So your plan is for me to make Emma jealous."

"Yes."

"I don't know how to do that."

"Don't worry, I will teach you everything you need to know."

"But isn't this also deceiving Regina? I don't really want a part in doing that."

"The idea isn't to get Regina to believe you are in love with her or anything. What I will show you will be subtle things that won't mean anything to anyone but Emma."

"I still don't think Regina will be willing to trust Emma again even if we get Emma to accept her feelings."

"Lucky for us, I have already lined up two other co-conspirators. Henry is on board. And the second was even more reluctant than you are, but he's willing to help in a more indirect way."

"Who is it?"

"Archie. You need to get Regina to start seeing Archie again, which will be vastly easier than me convincing Emma to see him. All he has to do is what he does already and the result will hopefully be to get the two idiots to see they are in love with each other. Are you in?"

Tink considered for more time than Ruby expected before saying, "I'm in."


	14. Chapter 14

Ruby kept the smile off of her face when Regina, Henry and Tink came into the diner. Regina sat on one side of the booth probably thinking that Henry would sit next to her, but instead he slid in on the other side and Tink took a seat next to her. It was Wednesday night and Emma should be there to pick up Henry soon enough.

Ruby walked over, "what can I get you tonight?"

"Henry wants ice cream," Regina said and Ruby turned and took his order and then Tink ordered a sundae as well. "Anything for you Regina?"

"No thank you," she said.

A few minutes later Henry and Tink were eating their sundaes. Henry had been insistent about getting ice cream, which Regina allowed only after he finished his homework. She had sent a text to Emma to let her know she could pick up Henry at Granny's instead of the house. Emma has simply texted back "ok," which was at least better than the argument that Regina had expected because she knew Emma preferred to park her car outside and wait for Henry. Anything to limit contact with Regina.

She supposed Emma could park outside of Granny's as well so she was surprised when Emma came in – 20 minutes early. She went straight to the counter to talk to Ruby, leaning over it slightly. Regina couldn't help but let her eyes trail up those legs to Emma's ass before looking back down at the table.

"You should really have gotten ice cream," Henry said to her.

"I am not a big ice cream person as you know."

"I didn't know that," Tink said. "That's a shame, it's really good. Here at least try some."

She took a scoop of the vanilla ice cream that was covered in chocolate and held it out for Regina.

"Really, I am good,"

"Oh, come on a little taste won't kill you."

"Yeah mom."

Feeling outnumbered, Regina leaned over slightly and accepted the ice cream that Tink spoon-fed her when it was clear Tink wasn't going to just hand her the spoon.

"Well?" Tink asked.

"It's good," Regina smiled. "I don't think I could eat a full one though. Too rich for my tastes."

"Wait, you have a little …" Tink said as she reach up and pretended to wipe away some stray chocolate that wasn't even there. She let her thumb glide just under and along Regina's lower lip. It was one of the techniques that Ruby had taught her.

Ruby tried not to openly look at the table but it wouldn't have mattered if she had as Emma wasn't paying a bit of attention to her. Her eyes were on Regina and Tink the moment Regina turned to take the ice cream. At least before that she was only looking at them with her peripheral vision.

She was proud of Tink when the other woman used the wiping imaginary stain technique. It was all going as planned, as she had asked Emma to come over early in order to get her to see this scene play out. What she wasn't expecting was what Emma did next as she pushed herself back from the counter and walked over to the table.

"Hey kid," Emma said sliding in next to Henry. "Got any left to share?"

"Sure," he said, sliding the glass over to her. She took the spoon and took a taste of it, making sure she kept her mouth on the spoon longer than was really necessary. She then licked her lips when done. "Thanks," she said sliding it back to him and putting an arm around him. "How was school today?"

"It was good. We are learning about the constellations. Mom was telling me about some of the stories associated with the stars from the Enchanted Forest."

Emma looked directly at Regina for the first time. "I am sure she is good at telling stories."

"Actually, Henry's class is having parents come in and talk about their jobs," Tink said. "Henry asked Regina to go in and talk."

"Which I declined," Regina said. "I told him it would be more appropriate to ask you to do it. A sheriff outranks a stable hand any day of the week. I am sure the children would much rather hear about your job."

"There is nothing wrong with being a stable hand," Henry said.

"No there isn't," Emma said. "Especially if it makes you happy."  
Regina was surprised Emma had said it, shocked actually that she was speechless for a moment. After Emma had made the comment about her being good at telling stories she thought maybe they would be heading for a fight – something she would have tried not to do in front of their son. So for her to say that was stunning.

"It does make me happy," she said.

"Which is why you should go," Tink said. "I'd come hear you speak."

"I appreciate that," Regina said smiling at Tink. "But I don't need some kid asking me about my life as the Evil Queen nor do I want to make the other parents uncomfortable. For some people, I will always be that person."

She looked directly at Emma that time.

"Well kid, are you ready to go?" Emma asked.

"Yeah,"

They got out of the booth and Henry hugged Regina when she got up and said goodbye to Tink as well. The two women took seats again, this time with Tink sitting opposite of her.

"She didn't upset you did she?" Tink asked.

"No. It was fine," Regina said. "I suppose her even talking to me is progress."

"Speaking of progress, have you given anymore thought about going back to see Archie again?"

"I have."

"And."

"And you maybe right. Talking to him has helped me sort out a few things in my head."

"Good," Tink smiled. "You've had a lot of changes in your life in a short amount of time. I think he might be able to help you figure out what it is that you want."

Regina thought about Emma when Tink said that but shook it off immediately. The best she could ever hope for there was that they have a civil relationship as parents of Henry. Emma was one of those people who saw her as the Evil Queen. She had made that clear enough. And those were the type of people Regina didn't need to be around.

It's what she liked about Tink. The other woman knew she had changed. Tink had reason enough to dislike her as anyone else, but yet here was Tink sticking beside her. It was refreshing to have someone like that in her life.

…

"How is the new house?" Emma asked as she drove them home.

"It's great. It feels more like a home than the mansion did and mom let me help with some of the decorating."

"That's good. I um I see Tink is still um hanging around a lot."

"She's really cool," Henry said. "I've been teaching her how to play video games. The other night she and mom played Mario Kart against each other. It was pretty funny."

"Who won?"

"Tink, but I think mom let her win. Tink celebrated like she just won the World Series or something. I think that was why mom let her win, just to see her so happy like that."

Emma fell silent until they got home.

"So do you want me to come in and talk to your class?"

"Yes, although you should probably know they will ask a lot of questions about if you have ever shot anyone."

Emma smiled, knowing at that age she probably would have asked the same thing of a sheriff. "I will be sure to leave the gun locked in the car," she said.

"You weren't upset I asked mom to do it, are you?"

"No, of course not," she said. "She's just as much your parent as I am."

"I wish she would have done it. I think it would be good for her, you know for people to see she just wants to be a normal person."

"Maybe it's too soon for her to want to talk about it. I imagine being there at the stables is emotional for her."

"You mean because of Daniel?"

"Yes," Emma said, although she was also thinking of Sara's time there. "Has she ever talked to you about him, about Daniel?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "I remember when I was a kid I asked her once why she wasn't married. She got sad and told me the man she had intended to marry died. That's when she showed me his ring. Otherwise she has never really talked much about him."

Emma thought about her time with Sara, who had also gotten sad once when she told Emma about how she was engaged to be married but he had died. She had felt bad for her when she said it because she could tell it still bothered Sara. Now she knew who that man was that Sara had talked about. It was Regina's Daniel. As Sara she hadn't given him a name, just described him as his simple country man who was kind, considerate and who loved her with everything he had.

Emma had asked how he had died, and Sara had said, "his heart gave out one day."

Not entirely the truth and not entirely a lie – it was a good way to explain a lot of what Sara had to say.

…

"You scared the shit out of me when you went over to their table last night," Ruby said the next morning when Emma came in for coffee.

"I wasn't going to do anything."

"Why did you go over there in the first place?"

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe to save my son from the PDA that was going on over there."

"Um, what PDA was that exactly?"

"You didn't see Tink spoon feeding Regina ice cream?"

"Oh, yeah I saw that. I guess I didn't think anything of it."

"Hey if they want to do that stuff in private more power to them, but this is a public place and Henry was right there in full view."

"I think you might be overreacting a bit," Ruby said. "It seemed pretty innocent to me."

"Innocent. Did you see Tink run her finger along Regina's lips? That isn't innocent, it's foreplay."

"Can I make a recommendation without you getting upset?"

"Of course."

"Have you considered talking to someone – other than me – about this whole thing with Sara and Regina? I am not saying you can't come to me, but I was thinking that maybe talking to someone like Archie might help."

"You think I need to talk to a therapist?"

"Need to, no. But it might be helpful. I love you to death Emma, but ever since this whole thing happened it's like the only thing on your mind. And I know you said you aren't jealous of Tink and Regina, but it sure seems like you have this hostility that is built up inside of you."

Emma looked down at her cup of coffee.

"I get it," Ruby said drawing her eyes back up to her. "You loved Sara and you lost her. You may think I don't get it but I do. I know what it is like to lose someone you love. But holding that inside of you isn't going to make it better. If Archie can't help, then you don't have to keep seeing him, but as your friend I am asking you to give it a chance. I just want you to be happy and right now you aren't."

She wasn't happy. She could admit that, but the idea of talking to someone other than Ruby was daunting. Part of the problem was she felt humiliated. She had been played by Regina and whether it was on purpose or not, she should have been able to see that Sara wasn't who she claimed to be. How could she sit down and tell someone that she had fallen in love with someone who didn't exist?

"I will think about it," she said finally.

…  
Regina sat in Archie's office for her first appointment since she had quit coming to see him. He had been overly welcoming to her when she arrived, saying how pleased he was to get her call. They had spent the first part of the session with her talking about quitting being mayor, moving and working at the stables full time. He merely listened as she talked, breaking in only occasionally to ask a question.

"When you first came to see me I asked you what goals you had in mind in wanting to come here, I am going to ask you that again. What do you hope to get out of this?"

She shrugged, and realized she probably did the same thing the last time around. "I guess I want to find my way in this world. Find a way that makes me happy."

"And the life changes you have made recently, are they making you happy?"

"Overall, yes."

"You say overall. Does that mean there is a source of unhappiness folded up in all of this?"

She nodded. "Emma."

"Ah. That is still an unresolved issue then?"

She filled him in on what had happened since she had quit coming to see him. Again no judgment from him, and he interrupted only if he had a clarifying question.

"I feel bad for what I did," she said. "But at the same time I am hurt that she thought I was holding Sara as a captive or something. She never once had another explanation for why Sara was in my house. For her to be there it had to be something bad. I thought … I thought outside of Sara, that Emma and I had been doing better. We were getting along and co-parenting Henry well. I guess I was just fooling myself on that account."

"Do you still love her?"

"I don't know."


	15. Chapter 15

Emma sat there staring at Archie.

"You do understand that the way this works is for you to actually talk?" Archie said.

"I lost a bet that is why I am here," Emma said. She was still unhappy with Ruby over it.

"Ok, but regardless you are here now so why don't you tell me why you are here?"

Emma looked away from him. "I am here because … because Ruby thinks I should talk to you about Sara."

"You mean Regina?"

"No I mean Sara," she said getting angry. "I was going out with Sara, I was having sex with Sara; I wasn't doing those things with Regina."

"Would you have though? Done those things with Regina?"

"No! Why would I … why do you think that Sara is Regina?"

"Why do you think they are separate people?"

"Because they are," Emma said. "Sara is … she was … you know this was a stupid idea."

"Why are you getting so angry over this?"

"I'm not angry, I'm … why did Regina do it? Why did she keep up the charade of being Sara? Was it some game to her to see how much she could draw me in?"

"I can't discuss another patient's therapy with you."

"I thought she quit."

"She did, but she's back to seeing me. And while I can't discuss what she says to me in confidence, do you really believe she did this to draw you in?"

Emma didn't say anything at first, but finally shook her head no.

"Why do you think she kept up being Sara?" Archie asked her.

Emma shrugged.

"You can't think of any reason she might want to be Sara?"

"You said it yourself; she wanted to interact with people where her past wasn't an issue."

"Yes, but beyond you and her work at the stables she didn't actually interact with people. And the only reason she was at the stables was because she told you that was where Sara worked. Is there any part of you that can accept that she, Regina, wanted to spend time with you?"

Emma didn't answer at first. Then she stood up, "I was right, this was a stupid idea."

She walked out.

…

Regina let the horse underneath her have a bit of free rein, encouraging it to run at a reasonable pace. She felt its muscles as she kept her legs clamped to it. This was a young horse, one that would run at a breakneck speed if she let it. She told her students that the secret to riding a horse was knowing what it was capable of, and knowing when to control it and when to let it be free.

This was a horse that needed to feel like it was free when in fact Regina was the one in control.

For the first time in a long time Regina was beginning to feel like she was in control of her own life. Even when she was queen she wasn't in control, at least not really. She had been ruled by her emotions, her desire for revenge.

Now though, now she was being her own person and she found it brought her a feeling of freedom that she hadn't felt since she was young. She let the horse have a little bit more free rein and it picked up another notch of speed.

If there were anyone out there to see her, they would see the smile on her face as she leaned over more and really let the horse run.

…

Tink made sure she was at Regina's house when Emma was dropping Henry off for his weekend with his other mother. She conveniently was close to the door so she could open it for him as he came up the walkway. Emma had parked her car as usual, but Tink didn't look at it as much as she wanted to. Ruby had been explicit that she was not to do that because by not looking it would show Emma that Tink didn't consider her a threat to her "relationship" with Regina.

The truth was, Tink wasn't actually staying around. She had stopped by at this time merely to drop off a book that Regina had let her borrow, at least that gave her the excuse for her presence there as far as Regina was concerned. Now that Emma was gone, she could actually get going home. There was some TV she wanted to watch tonight. She still had much to learn from this world.

Ruby had offered to take her out to a couple of bars so she could experience the night life and what Ruby said was "far superior alcoholic beverages" compared to what they had in the Enchanted Forest.

She was happy that she was making more friends there in Storybrooke, even if it did mean plotting behind Regina's back. But Ruby assured her that what they were doing would be best for Regina and Emma in the end.

Tink certainly hoped so.

…

"I didn't expect to see you back here," Archie said to Emma.

"I didn't expect to be back."

"Then why are you back here?"

Emma shrugged.

"You must have some reason," he pressed.

"I understand that Regina was Sara. I do. It's just I knew Regina and I knew Sara and it's hard to see them as the same person."

"Why is it so hard?"

"She … Sara, there was a sadness in her. You could see it creep up on her some times. Usually when I tried talking to her about her past. I know being Regina and her not wanting me to know she was Sara that she wouldn't want to give real specifics. But she would mention things, make comments that told me enough. I could tell Sara hadn't had the best of childhoods. Still, Sara had a fire, a feeling of life of wanting to live life that I found to be … intoxicating. It was like working at the stables, it's hard work, but Sara didn't care. There was a certain peace about her when she would talk about it or when I saw her there. It just seemed to fit if you know what I mean."

"And you don't think working at the stables fits Regina?"

"I don't know," Emma said. "I guess not, at least not the Regina I know."

"So tell me about the Regina you know."

Emma paused, "Well she um … she's the mayor, or was. You know she likes to control situations. She's made some really bad choices for reasons she thought were justified. She's changed though. She loves Henry, that's not an issue nor would it ever be. She's not the Evil Queen anymore despite the things I said to her."

"What do you mean by that last statement?"

Emma told him the things she had said that night to Sara when she thought maybe Regina was holding Sara against her will.

"Did you really believe Regina was capable of that?"

"You have to understand I wasn't thinking rationally that night. I wanted to know why Sara was running away from me, away from what we clearly had and then find out she is at Regina's and all I could think of was this was it, this was Sara's big secret."

She paused, looking away from Archie. Finally, she turned back to him.

"Believing Regina might have some influence over Sara that was unwanted was easier to believe than the alternative at that moment."

"What was the alternative?"

Another pause.

"That Regina and Sara were involved – intimately."

"Do you feel bad about the things you said that night?"

"Of course I do."

"But you haven't said you are sorry, have you?"

Emma shook her head no.

Archie sat forward in his chair. "If you really want to examine this, to continue to see me then there are going to be tough times, tough things you will need to examine about yourself. Is that something you are willing to do?"

It was not something Emma wanted to do, but she also knew she wasn't happy.

"Yes," she finally said softly.

"Good. When you come to your next session, be ready to tell me how you plan on apologizing to Regina for the things you said that night."


	16. Chapter 16

"How was your week?" Archie asked Regina.

"Good, nothing too exciting."

"Are you ready to pick up where we left off last time?"

Regina nodded.

"Ok. You said in the last session that you weren't sure you were still in love with Emma. Let's talk about that. Has your answer to that question changed at all?"

"No."

"Let me ask you this, how sure are you that you were in love with her?"

The question surprised her.

"Um … I don't know. I've been in love before."

"And it felt like that?"

"Sort of."

"Can you elaborate?"

She was silent for more than a minute. "Regina, you know you can trust me."

She nodded again. "Daniel." It sounded like she had to force herself to say the word.

"Daniel," she said again. "He was …"

She fell silent again. Archie knew this would be difficult for her. He wondered how many people, if any, really knew anything about Regina's relationship with Daniel. Yes, they all knew the story associated with it, that he was killed and she blamed Snow which it what brought on the years of anger and hatred. But how many had she ever talked to about him?

"Take as much time you need," he told her.

"I was young," she said looking at him, as if she needed to explain herself. "I didn't really know about the world. All I knew was that beyond my father I hated my home life. She …"

He didn't need to ask who "she" was. That was another one of the demons that Regina needed to face if she was going to be whole.

"When I met Daniel, I didn't even pay much attention to him at first. He was simply this boy who worked in the stables. He was cute. I did notice that. His smile … anyway, the first time we really talked I had come into the stables determined to take a horse out. My mother had done something, I don't even know what it was now, but I was upset. I have always found a certain freedom in riding and in that moment I just needed it. He brought me out this stallion and Daniel looked at me with those beautiful eyes and he said, 'Horses sense the mood of their riders. Don't push it today.'"

"I was very dismissive of the whole thing. I don't think I actually said anything to him just looked at him and took the reins. I did the exactly the opposite of what Daniel said. I pushed that horse to the brink and I lost control of it. It bucked me off and I … I must have hit my head. The horse ran off straight back to the stables, which is how Daniel knew something was wrong. He saddled another horse and he found me. I was awake by that time, and he helped me on the horse and got up behind me. There are times I can still remember what it felt like to have his arms around me on that ride back."

Archie watched as Regina appeared to have gotten lost in the memory of it. "You loved him very much," he said to her.

"I did," she said. "And I was foolish enough to believe that he and I would actually get to have a life together."

"It wasn't foolishness."

"If you knew my mother you wouldn't say that."

"You don't feel the same way for Emma as you did for Daniel?"

"I don't know what I feel for Emma anymore," she said. "If you had asked me as Sara I wouldn't have hesitated to say that yes I loved her and she loved Sara. But um, she doesn't love me and after the things she said that night I know how she really feels about me."

"Do you believe that? Do you believe that she meant those things?"

"She was talking to Sara; I have no reason to believe that she wasn't telling her the truth."

"It bothers you that she saw you that way."

"Why wouldn't it?" Regina said standing up and walking to the window. "Even without Sara I thought … I thought Emma and I were at least getting along better."

"You don't see any chance in you two reconciling?"

"No."

…

Emma sat in the public safety committee meeting trying not to think about the fact that Regina was sitting a couple of chairs down from her. She had given her report already and the fire chief was now giving his.

They hadn't said anything to each other the entire time. She occasionally looked up from her paper work trying to figure out if maybe Regina was looking at her. She wasn't.

Probably thinking about what she is going to do later with Tink, Emma thought.

The committee meeting broke up and Emma got to the door and out quicker than anyone else. She went back to the station and finished up some more work. When it was time to go home she took what was becoming an all too familiar route as she swung down the road that Regina lived on. She never stopped, but she always drove by.

She got home and fixed dinner for her and Henry. They spent a quiet evening together. She was mostly quiet because she was thinking about her session with Archie that was the next day. She had thought about what he had said, about her apologizing to Regina and she realized she didn't have a clue as to how to do that. As it was right now just being in the same room with her was making her uncomfortable.

She went to bed that night without a plan to tell Archie.

…

Emma walked into Archie's office and sat down.

"Shouldn't Regina be apologizing to me?" she asked first thing. "She was the one who was masquerading as another person and lying to me. Don't you think I deserve an apology?"

"Do you think you shouldn't have to apologize to her if she doesn't apologize to you?"

"No. That's not what I am saying. All I am saying is that she did some shady stuff and I think she should apologize to me."

"Ok. Let's say she apologizes, how are you then going to apologize to her?"

"I don't know."

"You were supposed to come prepared to talk about this."

"I know, and it's not like I haven't been thinking about it all week, but it's not easy."

"What's not easy about it?"

"It's not like I can just go up to her and say I'm sorry that I was a bitch and by the way I don't really think you are the Evil Queen and I know I said some stupid ass shit, but I didn't mean it so I am sorry."

"Why can't you say that to her?"

"Besides the fact that it sounds stupid? Maybe because I find it difficult to even be around Regina. Like yesterday; yesterday we had a public safety committee meeting. This is a meeting that Regina doesn't have to be at. It's more for the council people than the mayor, yet I get there and there she is. And we don't talk and as I am giving my report she isn't looking at me and then when the fire chief is talking she is looking at him but she never looks at me. What is up with that?"

"First question, does Regina normally go to public safety committee meetings even if she doesn't have to be there?"

"Yes. She usually attends all committee meetings she can because she wants to stay abreast of what is going on in the town."

"And would it have made you uncomfortable if she had looked at you while you were giving your report?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"But you wanted her to look at you?"

"Some acknowledgement wouldn't be a bad thing. Just because she's probably busy planning her wedding to Tink is no reason to ignore people."

"Whoa," Archie said. "Wedding?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "they're not getting married. It's just … it sure didn't take her long to move on."

"Does Regina moving on bother you?"

"Yes," she said standing up and moving to the window. "She and I have this whole unresolved thing going on. She shouldn't be shacking up with Tink when she and I haven't even talked about this."

"I have gotten the impression from you that you don't want to talk to her about it."

"Well maybe I do. If nothing else if Tink is going to be around my son don't I have the right to hear about it from Regina?"

"Are you worried about Tink being around Henry?"

"No. She's harmless."

"So your concern is her being around Regina?"

"What has Regina said about Tink?"

"You know I can't discuss other patients with you."

She looked out the window. "If you would like though," he said. "I could ask Regina if she would be agreeable to meeting with you here in my office with me present. That way you can present any concerns you have and she could do the same. I would merely be here to mediate if conflict arises."

"You mean like couple's counseling?"

"If you want to look at it that way, yes. I could speak to Regina about it later today and see about setting something up for next week if you want."

Emma thought about it for several minutes before saying, "Yes, let's do that."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thank you to every one who has said such nice things about this fic.

* * *

"Wait, Emma has been coming to see you?" Regina asked Archie who explained how he was willing to be a moderator if the two women wanted to meet. "How long has this been going on?"

"Not long. Don't worry her sessions are private, as are yours, but I think it would be beneficial to you both if you could sit down in a non-threatening environment and talk through things."

Regina was still stuck on the idea that Emma was seeing Archie in a professional capacity. She wondered what the two of them talked about and how often her name had come up. Was Emma seeing him because of her and what she had done in the guise of Sara?

"I'm not sure it's a good idea," Regina said. "Not yet at least."

"You don't feel like you are ready to talk to her one-on-one?"

"I don't even know what we would talk about," she admitted. "I could apologize to her. I want to apologize to her, but …"

"But what?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I just feel like no matter what I do now in regards to her it is one giant mistake after another. I'm trying to get back to being comfortable in my own life and in making the right decisions for myself and my son. I don't know that adding to the tension between her and me is the best for either of us right now."

"You are that certain it will turn out badly?"

"I have no reason to believe otherwise."

"When will be the right time to settle this matter with Emma then?"

"I don't know, but I am certain now isn't the right time."

"Ok. I will let her know."

Archie had come to see her at the stables outside of their regular appointment not just to talk to her about meeting with Emma, but he also wanted to observe her a little bit in this new environment. It was so different than the way he was used to seeing her as mayor. While he had noticed differences in their meetings – mostly in the way she dressed – out here he could see it was so much more than her clothes.

Here at the stables she interacted with people, not in a boss-employee way even if they did defer to her on some things. No, here she was a co-worker. She was the employee and it didn't seem to bother her when the stable manager told her to do a task. Out here she didn't need to be the one in charge.

The other thing that was clear to him was that she loved the horses and helping the young kids learn to ride. There was a passion there in her face that he had never seen before. Having never met her as Sara, he couldn't help but wonder now if she was becoming more like her alter ego and if so, did she even realize it?

He firmly believed her and Emma needed to sit down together and discuss what had happened with each other. Even if it didn't end up how Ruby and Tink wanted it to end up, neither woman would really be able to move forward until they dealt with this. But he also knew Regina was in a delicate spot right now – for the first time in her life maybe she was actually giving considerable thought to what was right for her life. She had been pushed by forces all her life; and now wasn't the time to continue that trend.

He could only hope that Emma, who was also in a tenuous emotional spot right now, could see that.

…

"What do you mean she doesn't want to meet yet?" Emma said, once again up and moving around the room instead of sitting still on the couch. "Did you explain to her that you would be there?"

"Yes, I explained that I would be there as a moderator. She isn't against the idea; she just isn't ready to do it yet. And maybe you aren't either."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Emma, you are in a highly emotional state and have been each time you come here. If you go into a meeting like that with Regina do you really think that things will turn out ok? Do you even know why you want to see Regina in this capacity?"

"I told you, if Tink is going to be part of her life then I have the right to know as Henry's other parent."

"Are you sure that is the extent of your concern because last time you also expressed that you didn't think Regina should be moving on with Tink while things between you two remained unresolved?"

"You are the therapist; do you think she should be moving on so quickly?"

"People move at different paces. Again, I can't divulge things Regina says in therapy to me anymore than I can tell her things about your sessions. Emma, please sit."

She looked like she was about to walk out the door instead of sitting, but she did finally take a seat on the couch.

"Let's talk about you for a moment. How is your life going right now?"

She shrugged, "Ok."

"Could you elaborate?"

"I don't know. I feel like I have finally settled down, you know that I've finally found a home. I've got Henry and my parents. I like my job and it has been better since we got the new officers. It's taken some of the stress off so I don't feel like I have to respond to every little thing that happens in this town."

"Feeling like you have a home, you value that highly don't you?"

"Well yeah, I think every kid that grew up in the system without ever really having a home wants that. I never in a million years thought this would be the result of it, but I like Storybrooke. For all of its weirdness, you can't say it's a boring place."

"No you certainly can't call it boring," he smiled. "Did you ever have a permanent home while in the system, at least for an extended amount of time?"

"Yeah," she said then she paused a moment. "When I was just a small child a couple took me in and I was with them for a bit, but then the woman got pregnant and they were having their own kid so back into the system I went. From then on, no, I didn't have a permanent home."

"That must have been tough to deal with."

"I survived."

"Before you came here, had you made a connection with anyone – a strong personal connection with anyone besides Neal?"

"I dated people yes."

"Dating isn't the same thing as strong personal connection."

She shrugged again. "If this is the part where we talk about my lack of trusting people or letting people get close to me, I think we can skip it. I am well aware of it. My poor tragic life."

"A life that wouldn't have been that way if Regina hadn't cast the curse …"

Emma looked directly at him and then looked away. "It happened, there is nothing I can do to change that and continuing to hate her for it would be as pointless as hating my parents for their choice to send me away from them."

"So you don't hate Regina?"

"Not for that."

"Which would suggest you hate her for something else?"

"I don't hate her," Emma said after awhile. "It's not that. I just … she deceived me. When she cast that curse, it wasn't personal to me. This was personal. She may not have known what she was getting into, but she sure as hell knew what she was doing and who she was doing it to."

She was getting angry again and stood up. "She could have just had her fun that night at the bar and left it at that, but she didn't. She kept it up. She didn't have to do that. Each time we met, each time we talked, each time we … she knew it was me."

"Yes she did, and she chose to keep coming back to you."

"And now she won't even meet with me. I guess that just confirms she is a coward," she said. "Looks like our time is up anyway. See ya next week doc."

…

Regina sat on her couch reading, enjoying a quiet Saturday night. Henry was spending the night at a friend's house and after a week at work that featured her and the other stable hands rebuilding a north end fence, she welcomed a relaxing evening. She had taken a bath and taking some time to herself, which is why when the doorbell rang, she almost ignored it. Then again anyone ringing her doorbell would know that she was there by seeing the light from outside.

She got up half expecting it to be Tink. She looked through the peephole – it was Emma.

She had no idea why Emma would be at her home, but when Emma knocked on the door she had the feeling she wouldn't be able to merely ignore her like wanted to.

Regina opened the door, but she didn't say anything.

"Can I come in?" Emma said.

"What do you want?"

"I want to come in and talk,"

"I am not sure that is a good idea."

"Just let me in," she said moving past her and not waiting for an invitation. Regina closed the door behind her.

"Since you invited yourself in, you might as well come all the way in," she said leading her to the main room. Emma stood there looking around at the place, which had a distinctly different feel from the mansion. Even in the few seconds she had been inside she knew this felt more like a home than Regina's former home.

"What do you want Miss Swan?" Regina asked after Emma continued to stand there.

Emma turned to face her, "why wouldn't you meet with me?"

"I imagine Archie explained that to you."

"Yeah, he said you weren't ready."

"Then you have your answer," Regina said feeling increasingly nervous.

"Well I am ready," Emma said. "You aren't queen anymore, not even mayor, so things don't get to happen just because you say so."

"Get out," Regina said.

"No."

"If you think I won't call your own sheriff's office on you, you are wrong," Regina said taking a step toward her. "Get out of my house."

"So I am not welcome here, is that what you are saying? Because I bet Tink is. Hell Tink probably has her own key by now. I am surprised she isn't here or is she. Is she upstairs?"

"What are you talking about? What does Tink have to do with it?"

"Is that how it's going to be? Are you going to pretend that you and Tink haven't been shacking up?"

"Miss Swa …"

"Don't. Don't call me that," she said. "I hate it when you call me that. Do you have any idea how aggravating it is when you say those two words?"

"Fine, sheriff, or whatever you want to be called, get out. I know I owe you an apology, and I know what I did was wrong but you have no right to come into my home and question me about my life."

"I have every right to question you about who you are sleeping with. We share a son remember, so I think that entitles me to know who you are letting stay under this roof when Henry is here," she said stepping closer so they were right in front of each other. "Tink is nice and all, but really that is who you choose to rebound with."

"I am going to say this one more time. Get out of my home," Regina said.

"Damn it, just answer the question."

"What question?"

"Are you fucking Tink?" she practically yelled.

"No!"

Emma grabbed her and kissed her. The moment their lips came in contact Regina began to kiss back. Her hands wrapped around Emma's body in order to pull them closer together. She felt Emma's hands on her ass, grabbing each of the firm cheeks through her pajama pants as she deepened the kisses.

Her whole mind was blank suddenly. All she could do was feel Emma touching her and react to those touches with ones of her own. She released her own hold on Emma, giving herself enough room to move her hands and begin to unbutton the shirt Emma was wearing. Emma moved to kissing her neck as she got to the last button and undid it. She pulled Emma's shirt back off of her shoulders and the blonde took the hint, helping with the process of taking it off.

Meanwhile Emma's hands had moved off her ass just for a moment as she brought them back down after slipping them under the pants and panties. She literally had to handfuls of Regina's ass and she was squeezing it while kissing all around Regina's neck and jaw line.

Regina made quick work of Emma's bra, again necessitating a quick move on Emma's part to get it all the way off, but as soon as it was gone, Regina's hands were there molding her flesh. She palmed both of them and ended with grabbing the nipples and giving each a slight pinch. From the noise Emma made it was a welcome feeing so Regina repeated it.

"Couch," Emma said between kisses, trying to move her back towards it.

"Bed," Regina responded, and she broke free from Emma pulling off her own tank top as she headed toward the stairs. There was no hesitation on Emma's part as she followed stopping Regina on the stairs for more kisses before proceeding up.

Once they were in the bedroom, both women stripped as quickly as possible with Regina beating Emma to it and thus able to beginning touching Emma as she finally got out of her shoes and jeans. Regina kissed her while again moving back to touching her breasts. Emma stood there enjoying the feel of Regina's touches before deciding to enter the fray. She grabbed Regina, practically pushing her on to the bed and was on top her just as quickly, kissing her and getting her own time in with Regina's breasts, moving down to take one of them into her mouth. She felt Regina run her fingers through her hair as Emma sucked hard on the nipple.

Emma came back up to kiss Regina once again, pushing her core into Regina's as she did. Regina responded by bringing her hips up to create friction between them. Regina attached her lips to Emma's neck and kissed and sucked on one spot knowing she would leave a mark.

Regina reached down, sliding her hand in between them until she felt Emma's wetness. She used a single finger to move along her clit. She brought it back out only to stop the kisses so she could taste Emma on her finger. The move seemed to spur Emma on even more as she dove into Regina's neck, while again pressing her pussy even more into Regina's.

Regina arms went around Emma, her hands now gripping her back as they continue to move against each other. The only sounds were their breathing, kisses and the movement of the bed as it was rocked against the wall from their actions. Finally, unable to take it any longer, Emma moved around presenting her pussy to Regina as she sank her own mouth onto Regina's.

Regina took a second to smell Emma's arousal before she began to lick and suck inside those folds. She had been fairly certain this was a taste she would never get to experience again so she relished each drop.

She felt Emma add two fingers into her and press deep within her and she moaned even as she sucked on Emma's clit. She wanted Emma to cum from just her mouth; not from her penetrating her so she continued to use her tongue and mouth to pull Emma over the edge. She felt her own orgasm coming but wanted Emma to go first.

Unable to hold back from it she felt her muscles spasm around Emma's fingers and as she let go, Emma's own orgasm rolled through her.

Emma moved off of her and both women laid there merely breathing as they recovered.

…

Archie looked at Emma who was looking off to her left. To her right at the end other of the couch was Regina, who was looking off to her right.

"So which one of you thought it would be a good idea to have sex?" he asked drawing their attention to him.

"She did," they answered at the same time.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I am glad everyone liked the ending to the last chapter; be warned this one isn't as light, although there are some light moments.

* * *

"Ok, which one of you instigated the sex then?" Archie said, already glad he scheduled off a significant block of time for this.

"Miss Swan kissed me first," Regina said.

"Yeah, well who invited me up to their bedroom?" Emma shot back.

"I didn't see you arguing against it."

"Maybe I would have but my lips were a little busy with you kissing them every two seconds."

"Oh so now you don't like the way I kiss."

"Ladies," Archie said, wanting any bickering to stop. The idea was to get them to talk. He already knew they could argue with each other. "Regina, I am going to start with you. Emma I ask that you listen to what Regina has to say and not interrupt."

Emma glanced at Regina who surprisingly enough didn't look pleased at being chosen to speak first. She expected to see a triumphant look on Regina's face.

"Now Regina, tell me what happened after you two had sex."

Regina kept her eyes averted from Emma and she remained silent. Emma wasn't sure why she wasn't speaking. It's not like they both weren't there – although she imagined they viewed the events differently.

"After we um … we were laying there on my bed after our third go around …"

"Fourth," Emma coughed, earning her a disapproving look from Archie for interrupting.

"Our fourth time," Regina continued. "And we were laying there she called me Sara, and I … I overreacted."

"Overreacted in what way?"

"She used her magic to knock me off the bed," Emma interjected.

"Emma," Archie warned.

"Sorry," Emma said although she didn't look sorry.

"She's right," Regina said. "I did use my magic and then I told her to leave and she refused. We argued and she stormed out."

"Why do you think you overreacted to being called Sara?"

Regina fell silent again and Emma wished she would just say something, anything as the silence dragged on. Archie seemed to sense Regina wasn't going to speak so she turned to Emma, "why did you call her Sara?"

Emma wasn't expecting to be put on the spot like that so she shrugged, "I don't know because she is Sara I guess."

"I am not," Regina said.

"See," Emma said to Archie, "that is what I am saying. I tell you and Ruby, I could tell the whole world that she isn't Sara and you all try to tell me she is. I say she is and what does she say, she says she isn't. You tell me how I am supposed to deal with that? Was I right before when I said she wasn't Sara or I am wrong now for saying they might be the same person?"

Archie could see Emma was beginning to get heated. What he couldn't understand was why Regina wasn't. He thought for sure that he would have trouble with both of them, especially with how things started, but now Regina seemed to become passive.

"Tell me Emma, what are the three main differences between Regina and Sara that you see?" Archie asked.

Emma considered the question, but before she could speak Regina stood up.

"It was my fault," Regina said finally. "All of it. This mistake started with me. I should never have gone out as Sara, and when I did I certainly shouldn't have continued in that guise and shouldn't have pursued a relationship with Miss Swan here."

She looked over at Emma. "I'm sorry. I was dishonest and everything else bad that I tend to be. I didn't do it to intentionally hurt you. That was never the case whether you believe or not. You are right, I am not Sara."

She looked at Archie, "I'm sorry. I just … I can't."

She walked out despite Archie calling her name.

"Maybe you should have called her Sara and she would have come back," Emma said sinking into the couch.

"Why did you go to her house?"

Emma shrugged again.

"You had to have had a reason."

"What? You said she wasn't going to do this whole dual counseling thing and like I said if she was dating Tink I should know about that because of Henry."

"Emma," he said making it clear with that one word that he didn't believer her.

"I didn't … I had to know," she said.

"Know what?"

"If she was dating Tink."

"Why did you need to know that and don't say because of Henry."

"I felt a real connection with Sara you know. It all happened so quick, but there it was. I was thinking about her all the time and if I got a text message from her I would smile. Some of the best moments I had during all of it as stupid as it sounds is just seeing her walk into a room because in those moments I could hold my breath and look at this beautiful woman and know she was there for one thing – for me. And then all this talk about Tink, I just … I felt like I lost that moment because she was no longer walking into a room for me."

"But you had that moment with the person you see as Sara. Tink, whether they were or are having a relationship, was with Regina. Sara no longer exists and she's not going to again except as who she really was which is Regina. Are you willing to admit that you were jealous of Tink because of the time she is spending with Regina?"

Emma stayed quiet for a bit. "What difference does it make?" she asked. "It's not like Regina and I can be anything other than what we are."

"It makes a big difference," Archie said. "You can either admit it and see Regina as someone you would like to have a relationship or not."

"I can't have a relationship with Regina."

"But you clearly have a problem with someone else having one with her as well. You can't have it both ways."

"Fine, let her date Tink."

"You don't get to give her permission to date Tink either."

"What do you want from me here? Why can't you just lay it out it simple terms?"

"Simple terms, ok, do you have feelings for Regina, yes or no?"

"No," Emma said quickly. Too quickly in Archie's mind. He decided it was time to challenge her.

"Then what is your problem?"

"Who says I am the one with the problem?"

"Emma, you say you have no feelings for Regina, yet you go to her house and question her about a relationship may or may not be having with another woman and then you proceed to have sex with her – multiple times. Why did you do that if you don't have feelings for her?"

"She's not in a relationship with Tink," Emma said. "She said she wasn't that night."

"And you saw that as an invitation to sleep with her?"

"What? No. It wasn't like that."

"Then tell me what it was like, because I think the only one being unclear here is you. Maybe you are the one who needs to consider in simple terms what is going on with your life. Do you have feelings for Regina yes or no?"

"Yes," she said. "Ok, yes, are you happy now. I have feelings for Regina fucking Mills for all the good that does me. Like I said I can't have a relationship with her."

"Why not?"

"Seriously? You want to know why not, let me give you two reasons off the bat – my mother and my father."

"You are an adult. They already know about your sexual preference so again, what is the problem?"

"Come on," she said. "Me and Regina. How is that supposed to work exactly? All we do is get under each other's skin. I am pretty sure we have fought more than we have ever actually spoken in a civil kind of way. Assuming my parents wouldn't lock me away somewhere until I came to my senses, or half the town didn't try and burn her at the stake for putting a spell in me, how could she and I ever have a relationship."

"You can't ..."

"Thank you. Now you see why this is an impossible situation."

"You didn't let me finish. I was saying you can't until one of you asks the other one out on a date. One of you is going to have to take that step if you are to even make an attempt at a relationship."

"A date, you think I should ask her out on a date?"

"Until you do, you don't really know if you can have a relationship with her do you?"

"Why should I be the one who asks her?"

"As you can see by Regina leaving this session she's not ready to deal with certain things."

"I don't think me asking her out will help with that to be honest doc."

"Regina is trying to find her place in this world but she can't do that not fully until she accepts there are other aspects of her life that she can't keep repressing."

"You mean like stuff with her mom?"

"What made you leap to that conclusion?"

"Well, I mean we all know that relationship was far from perfect and when I was talking with her before, as Sara, she mentioned some things. She told me that the first time she kissed a girl and her mom found out, her mom freaked and like banished the girl's family. Of course I have no idea if that is true or not because well …"

"It's true," Archie said. "It took her many sessions to tell me about it and it was only in regards to a discussion of her sexuality, not about her mother directly. Cora is not a subject we have talked much about as Regina pretty much refuses to talk about her."

"I would too if she were my mom. She didn't seem to be mother of the year in any fashion to Regina."

"Yet Regina loved her and wanted her mother's love in return. Yet she hated her mother too. Imagine the conflict within her over that alone."

Emma hadn't really thought of it that way. All she knew was Cora was evil and even though Regina was upset over her death, Emma hadn't considered how the love probably outweighed the hate in the end, but it probably wasn't always that way.

She knew Regina was a complex person. People tended to see her in more black and white terms. They either saw her as the Evil Queen or Mayor. There were some who saw her as Henry's mom, but for the general population they didn't see wasn't so simple to define.

The thing that aggravated Emma the most about Regina was that she saw in her the capacity for good, yet Regina would make mistakes and people got hurt. This time she was the one who had gotten hurt. Ironically, Sara had warned her of this, but Emma didn't want to listen. She was so sure Sara had feelings for her that she ignored the rest of it, even when Sara broke it off.

That was really what her problem was – she didn't know if Regina had feelings for her.

"Does Regina like me?"

"In what sense?"

"You know what I mean."

"Then say what you mean."

"Does Regina have feelings for me?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't she speak up about that in the first place instead of going through this whole Sara thing?"

"Would you have listened and believed her if she had?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"She wasn't going to risk it on a maybe. She thinks a lot like you – that there is no way you and her could have a relationship."

"Then why didn't you tell her to ask me out on a date?"

"I did."

"You told her to ask me out on a date? Wow, I guess I know where that led."

"You do actually. It led to her becoming Sara. She didn't do it to ask you out on a date as Sara. She became Sara to start figuring out who Regina really is. Why do you think she's been coming to see me? She wasn't happy, and the main reason for her unhappiness is she felt like she was living a lie. And in many ways she was. She had feelings for you before Sara, but she wasn't in a place in her life where she knew who she really was so she couldn't very well try and have a relationship with you. That changed when you tracked down Sara at the stables. She knew it was wrong, and she knew it would end badly, but she wanted a chance she didn't feel she would get as Regina."

"Why are you looking to me to fix her mistake? She did this, not me, yet I am the one who is supposed to forget that she hurt me and ask her out on a date?"

Archie didn't want to do it, and he knew what he was risking, but Regina wasn't ready to face her past – maybe Emma was.

"Let's be clear about this hurt you feel. You don't feel hurt because Regina deceived you – you may a little, but it's nothing compared to how Sara's rejection of you felt. Sara tried to break it off with you. She made you feel like she was abandoning you, she made you feel like she had no feelings for you – she made you feel like what most of those foster families made you feel or everyone of the other families who passed you over and chose another. You add that to seeing Tink with Regina and you again feel like Regina has now chosen another over you. Except Regina hasn't chosen Tink. She chose you. She chose the one person in this town outside of her son who has always been willing to look beyond the Evil Queen. She chose you."

Emma sat there stunned at Archie's bluntness. As a kid in the system she had seen kid after kid picked before her. She was never anyone's choice. Then she met Sara and Sara made her feel special. Like she said, when Sara entered a room it always felt like she was for Emma alone. Then all of a sudden Sara didn't want her anymore.

She hadn't lied to Archie before when she said that she had gotten upset that evening at Regina's when she was in search of Sara because she didn't want to think of Regina and Sara being together. She didn't want to be the one who wasn't good enough once again.

But this had all gotten so fucked up that Emma wasn't sure it was fixable.

She sat there in silence for a long time.

"If I wanted to um … if I were to ask Regina out on a date, how would you suggest I do that? She doesn't exactly seem to like being around me anymore."

"We can talk about that," Archie said. "But let me be clear about one more thing. If you ask her out on a date, it's just a date. You two do not need to be adding sex to the equation right now. Do you think you can do that?"

"That sounds like a horrible idea."


	19. Chapter 19

"Do you want to talk about why you walked out of our last session?" Archie asked.

"I would have thought that was obvious," Regina said.

Archie had sensed from the moment Regina walked in that she was on guard. It was like their first sessions together when he was still trying to establish a trusting relationship with her. She had been guarded then, wouldn't answer questions directly and dismissive of any subject that was extremely personal. He reminded himself that they had come a long way in their sessions and Regina was capable of opening up.

"You walked out after I asked Emma to list the main differences between you and Sara. What was it about that question that bothered you? You had already established that you aren't Sara."

Regina remained silent at first and Archie gave the time to be quiet and think it through.

"I didn't want to hear Emma say whatever it was that she was going to say."

"Do you think it would be painful to hear?"

"Of course it would. I don't need her to say how Sara was this nice woman who she enjoyed spending time with or how Sara was someone she fell in love with and me, and I am not those things."

"Do you want to be those things to her, to Emma?"

She looked down at her feet, again thinking it through. There were times, he had noticed, when she would be dominated by her emotions and speak immediately and times like this where everything needed to be processed in her mind first.

"I can't be those things to her."

"What if you could be?"

"I can't be. There is no what if. I am … I am the reason she didn't grow up with her family. She doesn't know her homeland because of me. I've tried to run her out of this town. I am not someone she would fall in love with. I am the enemy."

"Emma doesn't see you as her enemy."

"Then how does she see me?"

"Perhaps that is a question you should ask her," he said. "But let's switch subjects first. You have made a lot of changes in your life, changes that I see as a positive. You stopped being what people expect you to be and are being the person you want to be. You've taken big steps and I commend you for having the bravery to take those steps. Tell me how do you feel about who you are today versus say two years ago."

"I am not sure you can compare the two," she said. "Everything is different from then. Good different. There are things I miss about being mayor, but they don't compare with the enjoyment I have been getting from working with the children and horses at the stable. The people there, they have accepted me and that feels really good. Henry and I have a healthy and fun relationship. I even have people I consider friends."

"Like Tink?"

"Yes, and you."

Archie smiled at her admission.

"I am glad you consider me a friend," he said.

"I do spend lots of time with you," she said.

"Yes we do," he smiled again. "About Tink though, would you say she is your best friend?"

"Yes."

"You two have spent a lot of time together of late. Is there any attraction there on your part to her?"  
Regina shrugged, "I mean she is attractive, but no, I don't see her in that way."

"Do you see why Emma might have seen her that way in connection to you?"

"Honestly, no. I am not sure where all of that came from with her."

"Did it bother you that Emma thought you were in a relationship with Tink?"

"No. I was more bothered by her asking at all as if it was her business."

"Yet your end response to all of her questioning was to engage in intercourse with Emma, what was that?"

"I don't know. It wasn't as if I was really thinking at the time. She kissed me and … as soon as she did, I just … I wanted her. I wanted to be with her again. I may be new having sex with women, but I have had sex and I have never felt more compatible with a person than her."

"Beyond the sex though, you still have feelings for her?

She paused once more. "Yes," she admitted finally. "I wish I didn't but I do. She is … she was unexpected in my life and getting to know her like I did as Sara as bad as it turned out, I can't say I regret it exactly. Without Sara I would never have gotten to know her like that. She's funny and she would get nervous around me and make the perfect fool out of herself at times, but … but I fell in love with her all the same. It's not exactly like what I felt for Daniel, and I think that is merely because she isn't Daniel and there really isn't any reason to compare the two of them. I had a good time with Emma when I was Sara. I miss it."

"You say you can't regret it, but if you could do it over again, how would you change things?"

"I wouldn't have seen her beyond that initial night. I would have walked away. I knew it then that I should have done that, but I didn't. That is how I would have changed things."

"If you had done that, you would never have fallen in love with Emma and she wouldn't have with you."

"Which is how it should have been. I hurt her with my actions and if you care about a person you can't hurt them like that and you can't lie to them like that. My relationship with Henry has shown me that it is possible for me to have a healthy relationship with someone. I could blame it on my upbringing but the truth is I made my own decisions and I have to own up to them."

Archie thought about how far Regina had really come. Being able to accept responsibility for her actions was a major step.

"How have your nightmares been? You haven't said much about them recently."

"There haven't been too many of them lately. Just a handful and each time I was able to get back to sleep."

"That's good. And the migraines?"

"Just one."

"When did that happen?"

"Right after the last meeting."

"It was a high-stress situation for you and perhaps one you weren't ready for, but I was glad you agreed to it, especially after your interaction with Emma. I still believe it is important for you two speak to each other and work things out. I would like to schedule another dual session if that is ok with you."

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course."

….

Emma sat in a booth after hours at Granny's with Ruby. She had already told her about the sex she had with Regina and the therapy session that Regina walked out on.

"Archie thinks I should ask Regina out on a date. What do you think?"

"I think you should do what makes you happy."

"That wasn't the kind of helpful answer I was looking for. I was looking for something a little more definitive."

"Then ask her out."

"Really? I mean you didn't even give that much thought."

"I didn't have to," Ruby said. "You have already gone out on a date with Regina. How different could she really be from Sara? If anything Regina can be more open than Sara was because I know Sara's secrets bothered you."

"Yeah but to ask her out is a whole other thing."

"Fine. Don't ask her out, continue to mope around or obsess about what she is doing and when someone else in this town asks her out you can continue to stew from the sidelines. It's your choice."

"I'm not moping," she said. "I just … I don't know if I can go on a date with her and not think here is the woman who pretended to be Sara. The woman who lied to me. Plus there is bound to be this tension between us which will make things horribly uncomfortable. Then there is the whole how would I ask her anyway."  
"Is there something wrong with saying Regina would you like to go out with me?"

"Yes, multiple things,"

"Such as what?" Ruby laughed. "I swear at this point you are making up stuff in order to not do it."

Emma grabbed the dish towel Ruby had in front and threw it at her.

"It's wrong because I wouldn't ask her out like that. That sounds stupid."

"How did you ask out Sara?"

"I told her I would like to ask her out on a date."

"And you can't do that with Regina."

"No. She has already heard me ask out a woman like that. I can't treat her like Sara that is sort of the point."

"Ok, pretend I am Regina and ask me out," Ruby said leaning back in the booth.

She thought it through a moment and stood up. "Ok, um," she said. "Regina, I um was wondering if you wanted to get together, you know without Archie present and maybe talk."

"Talk?" Ruby asked. "Since when does talking equate date?"

Emma again seemed to take time to think it through. "Regina, I know things have been ... no that is stupid," she said getting frustrated. "Look Regina maybe we should go out on a date and see how things go and you know if it is a disaster then we know we probably shouldn't date."

Ruby gave her a look that made it clear that it was a bad choice of words.

Emma tried several more variations; including one that Ruby was pretty sure would cause Regina to firebomb her.

"Sit down," Ruby said finally. "Alright I am going to lay it all out here for you. If you want to ask Regina out you are going to have to stop over thinking it. After all you two have been through already you are going to have to appeal to her heart. She's not going to say yes to a date because she thinks you have a nice smile and a tight ass."

"She might."

"No, not a chance in hell," Ruby said. "You need to find a way to make her believe that going out on a date with you isn't the worst thing in the world."

Emma buried her head in her hands, "I am so screwed."

…

Emma dropped parked the car to let Henry out. "Will you ask you mom to come out to speak to me?"

"You two aren't going to fight again are you?"

"I hope not."

"I don't know that she will want to talk to you."

"I know, just ask her please."

She watched as he went into the house and then waited, and waited some more before Regina finally came outside. She hurriedly got out of her car and moved around to the passenger side as Regina approached.

"Did you need something Miss Swan?" she said, her arm crossed.

"Could you please not call me that?"

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to um … I thought that … look I am probably going to screw this up anyway and you will probably go back into your house cursing my name or thinking I am crazy, and I get that. Look, I said some shitty things that night and I am sorry. I didn't … it's not like I thought you had done something to Sara, that's not really what I was upset about exactly and regardless what I said was wrong and I was a jackass and you have every right to hate me for it. Despite all that I think we should go out on a date."

"What?" Regina said.

"You and me, I think we should go on a date."

"I'm just going to go back inside now," she said turning to leave, but Emma ran in front of her and cut her off.

"Come on Regina, this whole situation between us it's because we both found something attractive about the other person. If we didn't, we would never have gone out before. We can't keep ignoring each other for the rest of our lives. We have a son together."

"I think you are wrong about the part where you said we can't keep ignoring each other," she said, walking around her and reaching her door.

"I fell in love with Sara, which means I fell in love with you," Emma said finally. Regina didn't turn around but her hand froze just above door knob. "And I know you feel the same way. If you didn't, it wouldn't hurt so much."

This time Regina turned and looked at her, and Emma wasn't sure how to interpret the expression because she was fairly sure she had never seen a look like it before on Regina's face.

"It does hurt," Regina said. "I don't know that going on a date will make it better."

"You don't know that it will make it worse either. Please Regina, just one date."


	20. Chapter 20

"You are really going to do this?" Tink asked.

"I don't know why," Regina said. "I must be crazy to even think about going on a date with her."

"If you are having doubts maybe you shouldn't go," Tink said.

They were sitting in Regina's home. Henry was in bed and Regina had called Tink after Emma had left. Regina told Tink about how Emma had dropped off Henry and then asked her out. She had stood there on the porch wondering what to say after Emma had said "just one date."

It was Emma's eyes that held most of her attention.

The depth of emotions she could see in Emma's eyes had always struck her as nothing short of extraordinary. As she stood on the porch and saw Emma staring back at her she could see Emma was being sincere. Regina averted her eyes to the floor for a moment before saying, "One date."

Emma nodded. "Um I will um call or text and we can work out the details," she said before backing up and leaving.

Regina had reentered her home and Henry was standing there. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Are you sure? She didn't upset you did she?"

"No," she said smiling and coming over to hug him. "She um … she actually asked me out on a date."

"Really?"

"She did."

"And?"

"And I said I would go. Is that ok, with you I mean? Neither one of us would want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable."

"I just want both of you to be happy," he said.

So here she sat with Tink actually discussing the repercussions of her decision to agree to a date with Emma.

"What do you think I should do?" Regina asked Tink.

Tink appeared to think the question over with all seriousness. "I think you love her," Tink said. "I think you want things to work with her."

"But …"

"But you can't let your past and what you did as Sara to keep you from … from being who you are. I am not sure how to say this, but I guess what I want to say is don't change for her sake. Don't feel like you need to be Sara for her."

Regina sighed, "I am afraid that despite what she said – that she fell in love with me when she fell in love with Sara – that she indeed sees me as Sara, or wants me to be her. I am her, but I am not and I don't know how Emma sees me and that more than anything makes me hesitate."

"Yet, you are going to do this?"

"Yes,"

"Good," Tink said. "I want you to be happy Regina."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that we have become friends."

They hugged each other and spent the evening discussing less heavy topics.

…

"You asked her out, good for you," Ruby said.

"Yeah. I didn't think she was going to say yes, but she did," Emma said. She was sitting in her apartment with Ruby whom she had asked over after she left Regina's.

"Now what?"

"I guess we need to figure out the when and where of the date."

"What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking there are some nice places along the coast that we could go."

"Out of town?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Why not stay here in town?"

Emma shrugged, "There are more options out of town. I don't think she would appreciate it if I took her some place where I had already been to with Sara."

"Or is it that you don't want people in town to see you out with Regina?"

Emma didn't say anything at first. "I just think it would be easier if she and I didn't have to deal with you know the added stress of being out together here."

"I could see that, but I could also see Regina seeing this as you not wanting to go out in public with her."

"Do you think she would really think that?"

Ruby gave her a look to let her know what she thought the answer to that was.

"Ok," Emma said. "We'll stay in town."

"Good, now are you going more formal or casual?"

"I don't know. I honestly didn't give this much thought beyond the asking her part. Where do you think we should go?"

"Anywhere but Granny's."

Emma smiled, "Luckily that was far down on the list of options."

…

Emma was nervous. Tonight was her date with Regina, and she didn't have a clue as to what to wear. They had settled on a time – tonight, which was a Saturday night – but Regina had left the rest of it up to Emma. All Regina had asked was what she should wear and Emma told her to dress casually even though Emma hadn't even decided where they should go at the time she said it.

Finally she settled on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved, V-neck white shirt. Grabbing her jacket she left the apartment to pick up Regina. The whole drive over she felt like her heart was going to push through her chest and fall out. A heart attack, that was one way to get out a date that she felt ill-prepared for.

She arrived at Regina's house and parked the car, knowing it would be completely impolite if she merely waited in the car for Regina to come out to her. She didn't want to start things out that badly. Yet as she got about halfway down the walkway Regina came out and locked her door, meeting her partway. She was wearing pair of khaki pants and a sweater. She held a coat across her arm. The weather had finally started to turn colder as summer had held on longer than normal, but there was definitely a coldness in the air now.

"Hey," Emma said her hands in her back pockets as she rocked on her feet.

"Hi," Regina said.

They stood there a moment, both feeling the awkwardness of the situation. "Shall we go?" Regina asked finally.

"Yeah," Emma said feeling like a moron and she led the way back to the car, opening the door for Regina to get in before going around to her side. She started up the car and then looked at Regina. "Look I um I thought we might go out of town for dinner. I had decided against it before because I didn't want you to think that I was choosing that because I didn't want to be seen with you. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to take you someplace that was new – for both of us, if that makes any sense. If you want to stay in town though that is fine with me, we can."

"Out of town may be best," Regina said.

She had been more than a little curious as to where Emma would choose to take her, and was frankly just happy it wasn't to Granny's. She had spent most of her day trying to figure out what to wear that she knew she wouldn't have been able to actually think or decide on a place to go.

Emma started to drive and both women remained silent. In fact neither said a word until they had past the town border.

"How are things at the stable?" Emma asked.

"They are good," Regina said.

Silence.

"Good in what way?" Emma asked, hoping the whole evening wasn't going to be like this. "Shouldn't things be slowing down a bit with the weather turning colder?"

"No, not really. We have riders who come out in all seasons and even if we didn't, the horses would still need to be cared for and taken out for exercise. Horses, even domesticated ones, don't like to be penned up forever so you need to get them out so they can at least move. But at the same time, they don't generally like the cold and will often huddle together or stop moving a lot to conserve energy and prevent heat loss. One thing you have to be watchful for is that they don't lose too much weight during the winter months. You have to constantly watch that they are eating what you are providing them. The older horses handle it better; it's the young you really have to watch out for."

"Do you mind if I ask how you know so much about horses?"

"I grew up around them," Regina said. "I was expected to learn to ride and I enjoyed it from the very start. Although I have never been particularly fond of riding side saddle which is one of the things my mother would lecture me on. A lot of my knowledge came from Daniel. He was very knowledgeable."

Emma glanced over while she drove and saw the thoughtful look on Regina's face when she mentioned her first love. She knew what Sara's back story was about growing up around horses, but when she asked the question she genuinely wanted to know how Regina acquired the knowledge. Somehow Daniel didn't pop into her mind when she asked.

"Henry told me you took him out recently," Emma said wanting to change the subject.

"Yes, although I am not sure riding horses will ever become a love of his. To even get him to try it the first time I had to convince him that all knights know how to ride horses. I really should have taken him riding when he was young."

"Don't worry; you will still have the chance to teach him to drive a car even if you don't teach him to ride a horse."

"I would rather not think of him being that old, but then again I suppose I couldn't do a worse a job at than your father."

Emma smiled at this.

There was more small talk interspersed with silence until they reached their destination two towns over. It was a seafood restaurant that was family-owned and operated on the coast. They were seated and spent the first several minutes looking over the menu. Emma decided quickly enough and she sat there trying not to be too obvious about looking at Regina now that they were sitting across from each other. Regina was wearing a light blue sweater that complimented her figure – and her breasts – nicely Emma thought.

When she thought about what was under that sweater she squeezed her legs together a little. Thinking about sex was probably not the best way to proceed on what was sort of a first date.

Regina pretended not to notice Emma checking her out. Even when the younger woman politely held the door open for her to let her enter the restaurant first Regina had noticed the not-too-subtle lowering of Emma's eyes as she clearly was taking a look at Regina's back side. She felt a charge go through her body at the thought that she was at least physically attractive to Emma in her own form. That wasn't her real concern tonight though. What she needed to discover was if Emma did indeed of have feelings for her as Regina.

So far nothing had given her that indication.

Their meals came and they spent the time talking about safe topics – their jobs, Henry, the town in general. When the meal was over Emma paid and they drove back to Storybrooke. Emma pulled up to Regina's house.

"Thanks for dinner," Regina said. "It was pleasant."

"Yeah," Emma said. "It was nice."

"Well, I should go in."

"Here let me get the door for you," Emma said, quickly unbuckling her seat belt and running around to the other side to open the door for Regina. As she exited the car, they were standing as close to each other as they had been all night and their eyes met – pausing for the briefest of time—before Regina moved away.

"Thanks again," Regina said.

"Good night," Emma said.

She didn't watch Regina as she walked to her door; instead she got into her car and drove off thinking what a disaster that was.

Regina unlocked the door and didn't bother turning on any lights, merely going straight to her room. She sat on the bed feeling more than a little depressed. She had finally gone on a date with Emma and it had been – boring.

…

Regina sat in Archie's office, dressed to go to work directly after their session. She had told him about her date with Emma.

"Why do you think the date went so badly?"

"I don't know."

"You described it as boring, was that because you felt like you had already done the first date with Emma as Sara and so it made this one less exciting?"

"No, I don't think that is it."

"Were you or her too nervous?"

"I was nervous at first yes, but that went away. It was like … it was like I could have been sitting there with just anyone, didn't matter who it was just anyone. Does that make sense?"

"I am not sure I understand."

She sighed, "Emma and I, even when we were at odds, even when it was me as Sara, there has always been this I don't know what to call it – a spark, I guess. And that wasn't there the other night. It was just gone and I knew it and I think she knew it. A part of me thinks I should be happy. We went on a date; we didn't kill each other or throw insults at each other, and in the end we were both able to walk away and maybe that is for the best. We did our little experimental date and should now move on."

"Is that what you want?"

"It's what I think I need."

…

Ruby sat on the couch with Tink at her apartment. They were both drinking beer, trying not to be the first to say it.

"I guess our plan is over," Tink said.

"Yep," Ruby said.

Both of their friends had come to the conclusion that their date was a sign that it was time for them to put the whole experience behind them.

"It was worth a try," Tink said.

"I suppose," Ruby said taking a drink. "I just hope that they're both ok with their decisions. You know that they aren't all depressy again."

"I think Regina is going to be ok."

"Emma has survived worse."

They continued sitting there in silence.

"Does this mean that you and I are going to stop hanging out?" Tink asked nervously.

Ruby looked at her, "It doesn't have to mean that. I like hanging out with you." She gave Tink a smile who smiled broadly back at her.

…

It was early February and Storybrooke and all of Maine for that matter had been in the grips of one of its coldest winters. They had snow for several days straight and it had forced most people to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Emma was at the station when she heard the fire department getting toned out for a structure fire. She grabbed her own winter coat and hat when she heard the destination – Storybrooke Stables.

It was in the evening, nearly 10 p.m. and while it hadn't snowed since the day before the roads were still in bad shape. When she arrived on scene the firefighters were already using multiple hoses to attack the fire which appeared to be coming from the roof of the main horse barn. She saw the stable manager, Silas, and approached him. He was standing there in disbelief.

"Do you know who called it in?" she asked.

But he didn't respond, still staring at the fire.

"Silas."

He looked at her, "Sheriff."

"Do you know who called the fire in?"

He shook his head no. She knew she wasn't going to get anything from him at this moment. She turned back to the fire. She saw another car pulling up and Regina get out. She stood with the door of her car open also watching the fire, but then she was running toward them.

"Did the horses get out?" she asked Silas.

"Some did I think, I … I don't know."

Regina didn't pause as she took off running to the other side of the barn. Emma ran after her, calling after her to stop as she ran along the side of the structure. She knew what Regina intended to do the moment she ran. She felt someone grab her from behind.

"Sheriff, you can't get this close," the firefighter who grabbed her said.

"Let go of me," she said.

But the man kept a hold of her and began to drag her back. She had seen Regina get around the corner and could only hope there was someone on that side to stop her.

"Let go of me," she said again, struggling to get free but another firefighter came to his friend's aid and she was forced back.

The doors to the stable were open on that side where the fire hadn't completely spread. She saw firefighters at the opposite corner spraying down the roof. She paid them little mind as she ran inside. She heard the horses immediately. They were in a panic. The doors to the first couple of stalls were open but she came to the first one with a horse in it, and opened it, moving to the side as the horse ran out. She continued on to the next several, releasing them as she went until she was more than halfway down.

She was coughing at this point, the air getting harder to breathe. She looked up, seeing the roof was on fire above her. The next stall she opened, but despite hearing the horse inside, it didn't come running out. Its instincts should have told it to run, but she could hear it inside stomping. She took a quick peak in – the horse was tied to one of the harness hooks. She entered the stall but the horse – a mare named Evening Star reared up at her.

The horse was panicking for good reason. Regina approached it slowly trying to get it to calm down and show it that she was there to help. She got close and put a hand on it, petting it a little to get it to calm down, enough for her to move around it to the hook it was tied to. A part of her mind told her what she was doing was extremely dangerous but she had to try. The rope was tied to the hook in a manner that she was unfamiliar with and she struggled to get it free. Evening Star felt the rope go slack the moment Regina succeeded and her instincts took over as it turned toward the entrance to the stall just as fire particles rained down on them.

Several hit Evening Star and she reacted by kicking – Regina had no time to dodge it and she felt the hoof make contact with her midsection and she went down as the horse ran out. What little oxygen she had left her and she gasped for air as the pain began to make the edges of vision go dark. She knew if she stayed there on the ground she was going to die. She felt the heat all around her and had the vague impression of a more concentrated heat on her back.

She forced herself up to her knees and then to her feet and staggered to the door. The fire was even more intense now. One of the beams had collapsed cutting off access to that end and the horses behind it. There was another stall directly in front of her and fell part way to getting there, crawling the rest of the way. She opened the door part way and got inside. This was one of their younger horses. Regina kept the door closed enough so it couldn't run. She grabbed a harness from the wall and approached it. The horse was too scared that it wasn't moving much – its fear keeping it at bay.

Regina got close and haphazardly managed to get the harness on just enough. She moved the horse close to the door, feeling her consciousness slipping further away. She wrapped the end of a rein around her wrist and opened the door, pulling herself up on the horse – barely - as it took off.

Emma saw the horses leaving the barn, but then there was nothing. She tried to tell the firefighters that Regina was in there but they said it was too dangerous to go in – the structure was collapsing. She saw another horse run out and then nothing. The far end of the barn fell in and just as it did, another horse came galloping out. She barely caught the sight of a body slumped over it.

The body came sliding off of it, but the horse dragged it, its arm apparently caught in the reins before it finally came loose.

"Regina!" she screamed running toward her. She fell in the snow a few feet from Regina's unmoving body and scrambled the rest of the way to reach her as she yelled for help.

"Regina," she said reaching her and immediately throwing snow on her lower back where her clothes were on fire. Once it was out, she pulled Regina over onto her back. "Regina."

Her face was dark from the smoke and Emma had to bend over her to hear her breaths which were ragged. Emma yelled for help again. When she turned back to Regina, the other woman's eyes were open.

"What were you thinking?" Emma asked, wiping some of the grime from Regina's face.

Regina tried to speak but her breath seemed to catch in her throat and then blood began to spill from her mouth as her eyes closed once more.

"No, no, no," Emma panicked. "Regina open your …"

Hands pulled her away from her as the EMTs arrived and began to take over. Emma stood up, watching them – barely registering the words "lung collapsing," "bag her," "she's going into shock," "get the defib."

Emma sunk to her knees in the snow.


	21. Chapter 21

Regina felt things first – the sensation of lying in a bed, something around her nose that was immediately bothering her and pain, not major pain – as if it was dulled somehow.

She was tired, but started the process of forcing her eyes to open if nothing else to find out where she was because she was sure this wasn't her bed. Once her eyes were open she knew immediately she was in the hospital.

She tried to think of how she got there, and then it came back to her – a fire at the stables.

As she attempted to sit up the pain in her midsection forced her back down immediately. The horse had kicked her, that she remembered.

There was a tube feeding into her nostrils. Probably for oxygen, she thought. The heat and the heaviness of the smoke-filled air suddenly felt like it was in the room with her and she took an extra deep breath which only served to hurt her midsection again. She felt in that area and discovered that there was a thick wrap of bandages around it. Her shoulder was also feeling painful, and she thought about how she had tied the rein to her wrist to hold on but the horse had drug her when she fell off.

Her eyes were already starting to close when she realized there was another tube, this one somewhere near her arm. She was asleep before she could figure out where it went.

…

When she awoke next Tink was there to greet her. Her friend smiled widely at her, "Hi," she said. "How do you feel?"

Regina took note that the tube was still feeding her oxygen. "How many horses were lost?"

Tink shook her head, although she shouldn't be surprised Regina would asked her that. "Three horses."

Regina closed her eyes momentarily. "Do they know what caused the fire?"

"Arson."

"Arson? Who would do that?"

"Apparently there was a teenager who was taking lessons out there, I think someone said her name was Ellen, anyway, her boyfriend felt like she was spending too much time there and got angry and he said he didn't mean to do it, that he got upset and set fire to some of the hay."

"Ellen. Yeah, I oversaw her doing the barrel racing a couple of times when her instructor was out. She's a good kid. I don't think I ever knew she had a boyfriend. But I remember this one horse was tied in its stall and it shouldn't have been. I struggled to get it untied. That horse, it was Ellen's. The boy must have tied it in place before starting the fire."

"Yeah well I think Emma is ready to send him to prison for life."

"What? He is a kid."

"He is. Only 16. But he did set fire to the stable and well, you ended up here."

"I am fine," she said. "Although, what is this tube?"

She moved a little to try and see what this tube was that was just under her arm.

"It's a chest tube. Your lung collapsed, and um … you sort of technically died."

"I died?"

"For a minute or maybe five. I wasn't there. But your heart stopped and they couldn't get you revived on scene but they finally did when they got you back here, or maybe it was in the ambulance. I am not really sure. All I know is I was with Ruby when Emma called her and asked her if she could go pick up Henry at your house, but by that time you were already here and alive again."

She sat up as best as she could, which was not good at all, but Tink used the controls to move the bed's back up. "Henry, is he ok? I mean no one told him that did they, about my heart stopping?"

"He knows, but don't worry, he knows you are ok. He would probably be here now if Emma had insisted he go to school. This is like the first day they have gone back to school due to the weather."

"How long have I have been here?"

"Three days. I guess you've woken up a couple of times but only for a couple seconds or so. Speaking of which I should let the nurse know you are awake," she said standing up. "And let Emma know."

"Wait, why would you let Emma know?"

Tink smiled, "because she has been worried to death that you weren't ever going to wake up."

Regina smiled as Tink left. Somehow the idea that Emma was worried about her made her feel good.

…

"Mom!" Henry yelled as he entered the room, throwing down his backpack and hugging her as best as he could with her in the hospital bed. She held onto him for a few seconds more than strictly necessary. As she did, she saw Snow was standing in the doorway.

"He demanded I bring him here right after school," she said.

"Thank you," Regina said.

"How are you?" Henry said. "Are you in pain at all?"

"A little, but nothing serious. The doctor said I could get the chest tube taken out tomorrow or the next day. They need to evaluate my breathing with out these tubes in my nose or in my chest before they left me go home, but they said it shouldn't be an issue."

"That's good," he smiled. "I've been staying mom or grandma since you were hurt."

She looked at Snow again, "Thank you for watching him."

"You are welcome. I will leave you two alone. Henry I will be out in the lobby when you are ready to go, but there is no hurry whatsoever."

Snow left and Henry sat down.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yes," she smiled. "Breathing has been a little rough, but I am ok."

"People were saying what you did was pretty heroic, and um … stupid."

Regina laughed and then took a moment to keep her breathing intact. "It was stupid and you should never, ever run into a burning building. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, I've already heard the lecture from Emma on your stupidity."

Regina smiled again, "I bet she did. How is she? I vaguely remember her being there that night."

"She was worried about you," Henry said. "I think she was scared that you were going to die. I was scared."

"Oh, Henry, I am sorry," Regina said her eyes turning to concern. "I didn't … I wasn't even thinking about anything except for getting the horses out. They were trapped in there and I couldn't let them die trapped like that without trying to do something. I shouldn't have though. I should have …"

"I was really proud of you," Henry smiled forcing Regina to smile again.

"I just wish I could have saved all the horses."

"You saved a lot though," Henry said.

"Has Emma been here, to the hospital I mean?"

"That first night when they brought you in, but that is it."

Regina masked her disappointment. "I am sure she was busy with the arson investigation."

"Yeah, but that was pretty quick. The guy admitted to it the next morning."

Regina tried not to think about how that must mean Emma just didn't want to see her. She spent the rest of the time talking to Henry about going back to school after all the snow and other mundane topics before telling him he should go home with Snow. She was getting tired again and hugged him one last time before he left.

She laid there for a while thinking about various things, but always her mind went back to Emma. She thought Emma might have been there when she had fallen from the horse that had carried her out of the barn but she wasn't sure. She had this impression like Emma was looking at her and she had tried to say something but none of it was substantial enough in her mind to tell her if she was remembering something that was real. Finally, she closed her eyes again to sleep.

…

Emma entered the hospital room only after asking the nurse to check if Regina was sleeping first. She had stopped in every night, way after visiting hours to sit at Regina's bedside for a bit while she slept. She knew that Regina had finally woken for more than a few seconds earlier that day, but she waited until this late hour to visit, hoping she would be asleep.

The truth was she wasn't sure what to say to her if she was awake.

How was she supposed to tell Regina that when she had seen her lying in the snow that night with her heart stopped that her own heart had stopped beating as well? How was she supposed to say Regina that if she had died that she too would have felt a part of her die?

It was ridiculous to Emma. She shouldn't be feeling this way toward Regina. This woman had lied to her and even when she had overlooked it and gone on a date with her it was a disaster. Yet here she was feeling compelled to visit her.

"Life would be so much simpler if you were just Sara," Emma said. This wasn't the first time the thought had occurred to her but it was the first time she had given voice to it. She had loved Sara. She knew that. She accepted that. But the moment she found out Regina was Sara, it had all changed. Yet as Regina embraced a new life, Emma found she couldn't let go of Sara. She had to accept that Sara was Regina.

But that date.

She still didn't understand why that date was so awkward. Or why the spark that was always there between her and Regina was suddenly gone.

Emma had chalked it up to it meaning that what she had with Sara would never be repeated with Regina. Then the fire had happened. She kept playing it over and over in her mind. She hadn't been quick enough to stop Regina and then when Regina was lying there in the snow there was nothing Emma could do. Emma realized that Regina could have died and nothing Emma said or did would matter.

That night she only stayed for 10 minutes knowing she couldn't handle any more than that.

…

Regina wasn't happy that the doctor wouldn't release her after taking out the chest tube, but she supposed another day in the hospital wasn't going to kill her. They had given her a breathing test and according to the results she was just below the limit of what they felt was a safe parameter for letting her go.

Henry had come to see her after school and Tink had been by earlier which made her happy. Even Archie and some of her co-workers had come by. They had chipped in and bought her flowers which were now over by the window.

But now that she was alone she was bored. She had never been much of a TV watcher which is why she was flipping through the channels now. The controller almost fell from her hand when she heard knock on the door frame only to look and see Emma standing there.

"Hey, I need to get your statement," Emma said walking in. "Is now a good time?"

"Sure," Regina said, turning the TV off.

Emma sat on the chair next to the bed and Regina couldn't help but admire how toned Emma's legs were.

"Can you tell me what happened when you arrived at the scene and anything you observed?" Emma asked.

Regina could tell from the tone of her voice that this was indeed a formal visit. She explained to Emma what she could recall and Emma asked only a couple of questions before thanking her for her time and standing up to leave. She reached the door before Regina called out her name.  
"What this boy did was wrong and he should face consequences, but I don't think it should be so severe that it ruins things for him. Maybe he could help us rebuild the stables or do some other community service."

"You could have died," Emma said her voice wavering a little.

"But I didn't and if anyone in this town understands the value of a second chance it's me and I think this boy needs that – a chance to show this was a stupid, irrational reaction. I can tell the judge myself, but I hope you see that this is the right thing to do and will support it as well."

Emma gritted her teeth and averted her eyes for a moment. "His actions destroyed a building and resulted in the death of several animals and the injury of one person. I think the judge will decide what is best for him."

"What is best is for him is to not be ruined by this," Regina persisted.

"Hey, you weren't there. You were there but you weren't there. You didn't have to see that building on fire from the outside. You didn't have to stand there being held back by firefighters who were keeping me from running inside to drag you out," Emma said advancing on the bed. "You didn't watch as horse after horse came out but you didn't. And when you did come out … damn it you had no right to go in that building. You should have let those horses die."

"I couldn't do that."

"What if you had died? You almost died. What do you think would have happened to Henry? What do you think life would be like for him if you died that night? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I just reacted. I had to try."

Emma ran a hand through her hair. "No you didn't. You shouldn't have. Maybe you should start learning how to make good decisions."

"What is that supposed to mean?"  
"Oh, I think you know. How many decisions have you made that end up screwing other people over?"

"I've made more than my fair share as you are well aware of sheriff. But I don't need a lecture from you about it."

"Maybe I think you do. Maybe it's time you learn you aren't queen anymore or even mayor and you can't just make decisions that affect other people's lives."

"Whose life are you worried about, Henry's or you own?"

"Fuck you Regina."

"Right back at you Miss Swan."

Regina was so angry she was ready to leap from the bed and take Emma on, but when Emma closed the distance between them with her lips, Regina was taken aback, yet she still started to kiss back. Emma's lips on hers felt like a memory being reborn. Regina suddenly wished they weren't in a hospital or at least in a hospital room with the door shut and locked.

The kiss was everything that had been missing from their date.

Emma pulled away first as Regina was essentially stuck in the bed. They stared at each other for several breaths.

"You could have died," Emma said, this time in an almost childlike voice.

"I know," Regina said. "It wasn't my intention for it to end up like it did. I am sorry you had to see that."  
Emma shrugged and Regina knew the other woman was trying to deflect the emotions of the moment. "Just don't do it again," Emma said before walking out.

Regina closed her eyes as soon as Emma left. She could still feel the kiss upon her lips.


End file.
